puzzles
by futuremrshudson
Summary: There have been 6 murders in DC comitted by what appears to be two killers, can the team put the pieces of the puzzle together before more victims are found and maybe even solve more than 1 puzzle closer to home along the way xxx
1. Chapter 1

The sun shone through the windows of the bull pen giving each person a reason to violate the dress code but somehow no one had. All seven agents were catching up on paperwork and trying to suppress the boredom that was threatening to grip every one of them.

Bobby was particularly bored especially since everyone else seemed to have their heads down, he had shocked everyone in the last few days by completing everyone of his reports on time, a shock that team rotor Lucy was still trying to get over. He was sat at his desk drumming his fingers, shaking his foot and trying his hardest not to glance at Tara who was wearing headphones, but failing miserably.

"You know Crash" Jack said "You could always take some of this pile on my desk to do if you're that bored"

"Yeah right, you have got to be kidding Sparks your cases your paperwork, you know the drill! I just wish that something would happen; I'm bored out of my mind. It seems that the freaks, weirdo's and terrorists have either taken a break or have finally decided that I am simply too awesome that they have all given up." Bobby replied with a slight smirk across his face

"Um Koala boy, you were involved in the Manson drug case were you not?" Myles interrupted

"And your point being?"

"There is a lovely pile of photographic evidence here that needs logging if you're that bored"

"No you're alright Myles; we all know how much you love logging evidence, besides I have a way if entertaining myself, for a few minutes at least. So Sparky my old mate how's being able to stare at Sue from afar treating you?"

Jack shot Bobby a look that well if looks could kill the team would be arranging a funeral and calling his family about now. Jack had to admit it though he never used to like doing paperwork before Sue joined the team, but since her desk was less than five feet away he would often sneak glances in her direction and if and when she caught he would simply ask for a file he knew she had or a pen since his a stopped working he could come up with an excuse in an instant.

He was also trying not to look at her, as he risked giving up their secret, they had began dating six weeks ago, Ted had called them both into his office, stating that the no dating policy was under review and since the two of them had obvious chemistry they were given permission to date if they wanted to, they had began dating and four weeks later Ted had informed them that the policy had indeed been cancelled.

They had decided that it was much more fun and exciting to keep the team in the dark for now and tell them when the time was right, something Ted had agreed on, he had also agreed to keep the team in the dark about the cancelled policy

"Finally finished the report for miserable Randy" was heard from Lucy, "now that is done I have nothing left for the rest of the day, bring on the boredom"

Jack snuck a glance at Sue before aiming to return to his report but couldn't help notice the sneaky grin that both Bobby and Lucy now had on their faces and the way they were both staring at messages on their computer screen. Jack knew that a bored Bobby meant trouble, but a bored Bobby, Lucy, sly smirks and computer messages could only mean one that his and Sue's romantic relationship or what they believed lack of it was about to take another teasing session, knowing he had to get them both out of the quick he sent Sue a message

Sue had been oblivious the remarks and actions of her colleagues, she had been so engrossed in her report that even if she could have heard them she probably wouldn't have even noticed, she was managing to sneak glances at Jack though, but made it look as if she was doing work on the computer since she had slyly angled her computer screen in that direction, she even jumped as Levi put is paw on her knee indicating the flicker of her computer telling her of an incoming message.

She clicked it open and was puzzled as to why Jack, who was sitting right in front of her, was sending her a message to her via her private Email account and not the Bureau one

**JH: - **Hey honey Lucy and Bobby are both bored, passing messages and grinning you know what that means

Sue sighed she knew exactly what was coming and it was too hot and sticky to blush today, so she began to reply to Jack

**ST: - **TROUBLE! 

**JH: - **Exactly, I don't know about you but it is far too hot to fight back and I really don't have the energy

**ST: - **me neither so what shall we do, though it would be a lot easier if we could tell them, maybe then they would give us a break

**JH: - **Oh come on Hon, where's your sense of adventure! It is way more fun this way, besides all their matchmaking is serving as an excuse to spend time with you ;-) So how about lunch it is 12:30, but let's not leave at the same time that will only wind them up more and give them more ammunition for when we get back. I'll offer to do a lunch run, you leave in ten minutes to walk Levi and I'll meet you in the park with salads, coke and maybe I'll even buy you a ice-cream if you are good to me!

**ST: - **Ok Sweetie you go first and I'll see you in the park in ten minutes, Oh and sweetie one more thing

**JH: - **and what gorgeous may that be

**ST: - **Being good is so over-rated; being bad is much more fun ;-)

Jack coughed and cleared his throat loudly as he read Sue's last message, especially when he looked over to her and she gave a small wink and smile.

He looked around at the rest of the team who thankfully had not seen incident between them all, they had all gone back to their work even Bobby and Lucy had given in and were helping Myles log the photo's from the Mason case.

He shut down his computer, grabbed his wallet and keys and stood at the edge of his desk with a pad of paper and a pen in his hand

"Hey guys, I'm going to go grab a sandwich from the cafe anyone want one?, but I will be about an hour or so I'm going to go and make sure our Mr Heston is prepared for the case tomorrow"

"Oh mate you are a diamond, that will save me a trip to see the little runt, I'll have a Tuna salad, white roll, no onions" Bobby answered

"Cheers Jack, cheese and onion for me, any roll" Lucy replied

"And me" came the small voice of Tara

"Chicken Salad for me please, brown roll, white is bad for the cholesterol" Myles answered

"Nothing for me thanks Jack, I'm going to finish this report and meet Donna for lunch at home" D answered

Finally Jack looked at Sue, who was still busy typing and writing away that she hadn't noticed him waving to get her attention, so he stood in front of her and tapped her arm

"Sorry Jack, did you want something? Oh right the prison records from the Mason case, here you go just finished" she looked at him carrying on as they normally did

"I asked if you wanted anything from the cafe on the corner I'm going for sandwiches?"

"no its ok, I'll go and get something later, I have to finish this report for the Mason case, I'm sort of on a roll at the moment and eating will distract me, I'll go and get something when I'm finished"

"Ok, see you later"

A chorus of Okays echoed around the building

With that Jack headed out of the bullpen, down to the salad bar on the corner and ordered two chicken salads and two diet cokes for him and Sue, crossed the street to the park, sat on their favourite bench and waited for his lunch date to arrive

In the meantime Sue casually went back to her report ten minutes after Jack had left she came up with her own plan of escape, she stood up and faked a dizzy spell by gripping the edge of her desk

"WOAH" she said as she quickly sat back down

Lucy and Bobby were at her side in seconds

"Sue, are you OK?" they both asked concerned

"Yeah I'm fine, just stood up a bit too quick, plus I've been starring at that screen for the last few hours it made my vision go a bit fuzzy, see I'm fine now, but maybe I will go and get some air and maybe a quick bite to eat, plus Levi needs a walk" with that she stood back up

"Are you sure you don't want one of us to go with you?" Bobby asked still concerned

"No honestly I'm fine, besides I'll have Levi and there are plenty of people in the streets and in the park, but honestly I'm fine an hour or so away will do me some good"

"Ok If you're sure, hey I know why don't I call Jack and have him meet you on the corner and you can go and eat together" Lucy said

Sue just rolled her eyes even in times of worry she is trying to play matchmaker "I'm sure don't call Jack he'll only worry unnecessarily" and with that she clipped on Levi's leash, turned off her computer, grabbed her purse, keys and headed for the park to meet Jack.


	2. Chapter 2

**Usual disclaimers we all know what they are xxx Bit more fuzzy before the next chapter where the killing will start **

Sue walked through the park towards the bench that she knew Jack would be sat at when she saw that he had his back to her looking out at the lake she decided it was time to have some fun. She tiptoed really quietly up to him and jarred in him the sides shouting 'BOO!' as she did she nearly fell over laughing as Jack jumped himself nearly falling off the bench. Sue walked around at sat next to him looking into his eyes

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist you looked so peaceful and quiet sat there, besides by not looking you left yourself wide open"

"Oh you will be sorry Miss Thomas I am so going to make you pay for that"

"Really and what prey tell are you going to do?"

"This" and with that he pulled her into his lap so her feet were dangling over the side, he moved a piece of hair behind her ear, he leant into her face and Sue thought he was going to kiss her 'I can take this kind of punishment' she thought to herself but he didn't kiss her, he grabbed her waist and began tickling her so much that she thought she was going to fall off his lap at one point

"That was mean" she said

"You asked for it" he replied

Once they had both stopped laughing, they proceeded to eat their chicken salads with sue still firmly sat on Jack's lap, they attempted to feed each other spoonfuls of the crunchy green lettuce but after getting most of it over their chins and hands decided that this was not the best idea they had ever had. Once they had finished their lunch they sat there on their bench cuddled up together, hands entwined, with his head on hers as she leant on him they enjoyed the calmness of the lake, Levi asleep at their feet. After about twenty minutes of cuddling Jack looked at Sue who was lying with her head in his neck, her eyes closed, not wanting to disturb her, but knew that at some point they had to go back to work, he gently kissed her on the head and cheek, before kissing her passionately on her lips when she looked at him.

"Babe as much as I would love to stay here with you for the rest of the afternoon, we really need to get back to work, there are lovely piles of paperwork on our desks that need doing, plus I need to go and get the sandwiches for the guys and as I mentioned I need to go see our friend Brian Heston and you are more than welcome to come with me"

"OK, but I still want my ice-cream"

"Do you think you have been nice enough to have an ice-cream?"

With that she grabbed Jack by his tie and pulled him into a very deep and very passionate kiss that left them both struggling for breath once it was finished

"Definitely" she grinned before she got off the bench, Levi hot on her heels and Jack still sat on the bench unable to move as a result of that kiss. Once he had got the strength to move he got up from the bench gathering their trash for the bin as he did, he finally caught up with Sue, who was leaning on a post by the ice-cream stall looking really pleased with herself

"Nice of you to join me Mr Hudson, What took you so long?"

"You know very well what took me so long, and I think after that kiss you deserve your ice-cream reward"

Jack went to stall and bought two cones of vanilla ice-cream accidently on purpose getting some on Sue's nose as he gave her hers

"Jack!" she gave a look and a slight tap on the arm as she said it, before going to use her tissue to wipe off the cream from her nose, Jack seeing what she was going to do grabbed her arm and used tongue to lick the cream off her nose sending shivers all through her body as he did

"So sweetie are you ready to go see Mr Heston"

Sue nodded and took Jack's hand in hers as they walked to his car, after twenty minutes of ensuring that Brian Heston was ready to give his evidence in court the following morning. They got back in the car and headed back to the bull pen. As he was driving Jack glanced at Sue, her smile had gone, and her face looked worried. He tapped her hand that was on his leg

"Hey baby what's wrong?"

"Nothing honey I'm fine, just sick of doing report after report for the last few days I just want a case to occupy my mind"

"I know you do babe, I do too but it seems that all the freaks and terrorists are taking some time off, but at least it gives us time to have moments like the one we just had, just you and me together"

"Your right Jack, I love those moments were its just you and me shut away from the rest of the world, perhaps I should just enjoy the free time and forget about what I wish would happen"

"Tell you what how about I order a Chinese for us tonight, we'll get a bottle of wine, DVD and curl up on my sofa and shut out the world"

"Now that Mr Hudson sounds like a perfect night"

They continued their drive back to the bull Sue's face now smiling as she thought about how lucky she was to have a man like Jack. He pulled outside the park and dropped Sue off but not before he kissed her one more time and said

"I love you, you know that right"

"I know you do, I love you too, see you back in there"

"Will do" he replied

With that Sue got out of the car and made her way back to the bull pen, her blackberry began vibrating as she entered the lift; she read the message from Lucy

**Sue, I'm really worried about you, hope you are ok, where are you?**

Sue began to type her reply as the elevator doors opened, she was surprised to see Lucy and Bobby both stood there waiting for her

"Hi" she said

"Sue are you alright you've been gone for over an hour I was really worried about you?" Lucy asked concerned

"Luce don't panic I'm fine I ran into Fran from deaf club in the cafe and lost track of time" She hated lying to Lucy but at the moment she and Jack were enjoying their relationship being just them

"Oh, OK, anyway Ted as been in we have a new case, we're just waiting for Jack to get back before he fills us all in"

"Yeah, Sparks is still skiving, actually he rang about two minutes ago saying he was going for the sandwiches, that's why I'm here I was going to help him carry them back to the bullpen." Bobby said

Lucy and Sue walked back to the bullpen, they both settled back at their desks carrying on with their work, while they waited for Jack to return and Ted to fill them all in, nearly ten minutes later Jack came back into the room laughing with Bobby at the joke he just told. Jack looked at Sue who was smiling at her desk

"Someone looks happy" he said as he stood at her desk

"Yeah just came back from lunch with a close friend, had a great time, even made arrangements to meet up tonight"

"Really, must be something good if it's brought a smile like that to your face"

"Yes, Chinese food, wine and a chick flick" Sue replied with a glint in her eye

To which Jack shook his head as if to say no way are we watching a chick flick.

"Guys where's D?" Jack asked

"Gone to fetch Ted apparently we have two new cases, two serial killers are killing people all over DC, Ted has all the details, apparently we are going to be split into two teams one team working the one case, the other working the other case." Tara answered

As she finished Ted and D both walked back into the bull pen

"Ok people listen up; we have two new cases, Jack and Bobby I want you guys working one case, Myles and D will work the other. Sue, Tara you two will be available to both teams doing what you do best, but will also team up with Jack and Bobby to carry-out the interviews. Jack, Bobby, your case is a suspected serial killer, but there is no link that we can see between the victims, there is no patterns available, nothing is the same, not even the way they were killed or the time they were killed, the only two things they have in common is they all had the word 'revenge' written across their foreheads in black ink and each stabbing number seems to be increasing with each victim." Ted said, once finished he gave Tara a memory chip with all the victims details on.

**Please review x **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello guys xx next chapter I only own the victims and anything else you dont recognise x **

All the team members stood and stared at the three pictures that appeared on the screen, each feeling queasy at the sight of the sliced bodies, the cuts looked like a wild animal had done them, there were pools of blood around each victim, but nothing else, the areas looked almost clean, or as clean as alleyways could look, the word 'REVENGE' could be clearly seen written across the heads of each victim. They all looked for a small clue as to who had done this a fibre, a piece of fabric, a note anything that would help narrow the search but there was nothing, or at least nothing that the team could see on the screen.

Tara, who had gotten Sue's attention, began to talk about the three victims that had already been found

"First victim is James Henderson, he was a 33 year old physiotherapist at Heart-field Hospital, single, no children, was found by a jogger George Wilson in Heart-field Park close to the hospital on August 3rd. He had been stabbed once in the chest, apparently the knife punctured his heart and he suffocated on his own blood."

"Second victim was Sharon Timmons, she was a 30 year old school assistant in Falkirk School, again single, no children, was found in an abandoned alley by a homeless man near Falkirk Station on August 5th. She had been stabbed twice, once in the back on the neck and once in the throat, why the killer stabbed her twice is unknown, according to the coroner the first stab wound in the neck was enough to kill her outright."

"Why stab her again if she was already dead, that makes no sense" Bobby questioned

"Crash you and I both know that these guys never make any sense" Jack answered

Tara continued "Latest victim was Melanie Lewis, she was a 35 year old lawyer at Hills & Co law firm, again single, no children, she was found in a walkway near the law firm by her colleague Andrew Hills, who also happens to be the main partner in the firm, yesterday morning August 7th. She had been stabbed three times once in her leg, once in her arm and then the fatal stab of straight through the heart. If anyone had seen the attack she may have survived since the fatal stabbing did occur until at least a few minutes after the first"

"Why didn't he kill her outright" Sue questioned "the other two were killed outright but with Miss Lewis he delivered the fatal stab on the third hit"

Jack glanced over to Sue and noticed the sheer confusion and concentration in her eyes. He knew that she was focusing hard trying to see a pattern, link or even a reason why these three people lost their lives.

"Do we have any estimated times of death?" Jack asked "maybe there is a link there somewhere"

Ted tapping Sue on the arm answered "We have T.O.D.s for the first two victims James Henderson was killed at 1pm and Sharon Timmons at 4am, we are still waiting for a time on Melanie Lewis, but it is thought to be somewhere between 9 and 11 pm"

"Well there doesn't seem to be a time link, most killers will go after people who look alike, do the same jobs, same sex or even kill at the same time, but here there is nothing that links them all" Sue said

"Ok, Tara, phone the coroner see if they have a T.O.D. for Melanie Lewis, Bobby wait for her to finish and go interview the colleague of Melanie Lewis, maybe she was working a high profile case, it would fit in with the word revenge on her head, Sue you and I will go and interview the staff at the hospital maybe this James Henderson had a client who was unable to walk and his family or even he wants revenge"

Ted who was still in the room spoke up again, while tapping Sue who was stood next to him on the arm "team I need you all here a bit longer I need Tara for the second case. Ok second set of victims these were all shot once through the heart and then stabbed, they were different ages, different professions few more common factors each one again had more stab wounds than the previous, had the word 'Denied' written across their chests and all three victims were male and were all found in the alley outside the back entrance Partners' Cafe. Tara if you could open the second file, the victim's details are there."

"Ted did you say Partner's restaurant" Sue asked

"Yes why do you know it?"

"We all do sir", Jack answered "we have lunch there on a regular basis"

Tara began again, once Sue had turned back to her

"First victim Lucas Daniels, he was a 33 year old head chef at Dominion Thai restaurant, single, no children, he was found by his best friend and souse chef Simon Tyler on August 4th, he had been shot in the chest which killed him outright, but then he also had five stab wound, one small wound in each arm and leg and then a larger wound below the gun shot.

Second victim Daniel Giles, 39, oh here's something different he was married and has been for twelve years, he also has two children a boy aged 14 and a girl aged 12, he was a clerk at City Savings Bank, he was found by a passerby a Mr Kyle Marks. Apart from the shot that killed him he was found with six stab wounds, three small wound on his back, one on the side of his neck, one in his left foot and a large open wound on his thigh that had split the skin.

Final victim was Brian McNeal, 30 years old, single, no children he was a DJ for Capital Radio"

"Sorry Tar, did you say Brian McNeal, from Capital Radio" Bobby asked

"Yes Why?"

"I listen to that show every night, he does the late show, even met him a few times when Darcy and I were together, great guy, when was he found"

"This morning, with a gunshot wound and seven stab wounds, again 1 large wound across his throat, and six smaller ones, three on his left arm, three on his right side. He was found by his station manager Fred Heart; apparently they were supposed to have been meeting in the cafe for breakfast and when he didn't show Fred figured he was running late, when he tried calling him he couldn't get an answer, so he walked towards his apartment which involves going through the back alley near the cafe and found him on the ground, he called Metro, forensics are still at the scene but who knows of they'll find anything."

"Tara do we have any T.O.D for the second set of victims" D asked

"On the first two yes, but as Brian McNeal was only killed this morning we haven't got an exact time but the rough estimation is 8am, Lucas Daniels was killed at approximately 7am, Daniel Giles was killed at approximately 8pm, so again there is no link between the times they are all different"

"Do we have any idea of what the murder weapons could be, with the stabbings in both sets of victim's maybe there is a weapon link?" Myles asked

"We have an idea of what knives where used but they were different in both cases, in the stabbing case, the knife is thought to be a steak knife of some sort due to the grooves and marks made in the skin, it also looks as if the skin was ripped very uneven slits in the wounds. The knife used in the shooting cases is thought to be a larger, standard kitchen knife or a hunting knife, the wounds were a lot cleaner than the first, the bullets are still with the lab they are going to send the results to Tara's or Lucy's computer as soon as they have them. Until then let's see if we can find anything to give us an idea of who these people are" Ted answered

"Ok D, Myles go interview Fred Heart, Kyle Marks and Simon Tyler, see if they know of any reason why the victims were killed, Lucy see if you can find anything linking the victims, where they hang out, places they visited, anything, same with the victims in the other case, Tara keep in contact with the coroners see if they can give us a more accurate T.O.D on the last two victims it may help put this puzzle together" Jack said

"Sir", Sue asked "the words written on the body were both done with the same ink colour, and some of the letters look the same could it be possible to trace the type of pen maybe it will give us a lead"

"The lab guys are working on it as we speak; the results will be sent to Tara or Lucy's computer when they are ready, also running drug, alcohol and substance tests on the victims see if any of them dabbled. Oh and guys no –one leaves until these psycho's are behind bars." Ted answered

"Ok guys there are at least two psycho's out there determined to ruin our peace and quiet and I for one would like the tranquil atmosphere of paperwork, we all have our jobs so let's get to it" Jack ordered

And with that the whole team headed for phones or cars aiming to solve these cases as soon as possible.

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW IT'S GOOD FOR MY SOUL XX IT MAYBE A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE NEXT CHAPTER RL IS GOING TO INTERFERE THIS WEEKEND XX OH WELL XXX **


	4. Chapter 4

**here you go on with the investigation with a dash of fuzzies thrown in for good measure xx the next few chapter will be the same time but three different interviews xx J/S, B/T, M/D**

Jack and Sue exited the bullpen before everyone else and were in the car on their way to interview George Wilson who Lucy had discovered had not only found the body of James Henderson, but also worked in the hospital as a porter. Jack drove with Sue in the passenger side and Levi curled up on the back seat in his favourite spot Jack, Sue had her hand resting on Jack's knee, now they were out of the bullpen they were taking full advantage of their relationship, enjoying glances, touches and even the odd kiss to the hand. After a short while Jack wanting to get's Sue's attention, as she was busy looking over the photo's and re-reading the crime scene reports for the tenth time trying to find a link, tapped her arm so that he could talk to her

"So babes any joy?"

"Nothing, I cannot see anything or haven't read anything that links these 3 murders, the times are different, the places where the stabbings occurred are different, the way he killed them, I mean why did he not give the fatal stab to Melanie straight out, with James and Sharon he killed them outright, one stab to the heart for James killed him, the first stab to Sharon killed her but with Melanie he cut her twice, let her bleed for a while and then stabbed her, could it be that Melanie is the key, the others were killed as a warning to her"

"A warning! What kind of warning"

"I don't know she was a lawyer right?" Jack nodded, and she continued "Then maybe she was on the opposing side and he was sent to prison, or lost everything in a divorce and this was his revenge"

"Maybe, but what about the other two victims, they are not lawyers."

"Thanks for stating the obvious, honey, I wouldn't have figured that out otherwise" she said with a teasing grin and wink "maybe Melanie knew the other victims, and he wanted her to suffer like he had"

"Maybe, perhaps Bobby and Tara or Lucy will find something useful, oh and Honey"

"Yes"

"I do believe this case means our date tonight is postponed, we can't really snuggle up on the bureau sofa with a bottle of wine and a Chinese"

"Not to mention the chick-flick"

"No way would we have been watching a chick-flick anyway, I can only take Pretty Woman and Notting Hill so many times and we have certainly passed that number"

"Oh admit it you love Pretty woman"

"Never, I can't admit that I'm a man"

Sue just laughed at the look on his face as he tried to convince her that he wasn't a chick-flick fan, even though deep down, way deep down, he had enjoyed both movies the first time but after five times of watching each his enjoyment was wearing thin. He pulled into the hospital and Sue noticed the look on his face as he did

"Jack, Honey what's wrong you look, don't take this the wrong way, awful"

"Um I don't know I've just got this feeling I've been here before and whatever the reason was it isn't good" Jack said, his face white and his body shivered

"Hey, everything's Ok, I'm right here with you should you remember what, if you need to get out for a break, we can always leave and go back" she said as she took his hand and kissed his cheek trying to reassure him

"Thanks honey, it's probably nothing, maybe I've seen it on the news or in the papers, you ready to go find some answers" he said with his own kiss to her cheek

She nodded and they made their way out of the car towards the front of the hospital. As they walked through the big glass doors the smell of bleach and medication hit them like a punch

"Oh I hate that hospital smell", Sue said causing Jack to give a little giggle before signing me to. They walked up to the main desk and introduced themselves as Jack flashed his badge. The tall, blonde forty year old woman at the desk, who had obviously taken a shine to Jack, explained where they would find George Wilson and the physio department. After a walk down a long corridor and a lift to the third floor they came across a short, yet very muscular man in his late forties delivering clean bedding to the nurse's closet

"Mr Wilson" Jack asked

"Yes, who wants to know?"

"Agent Hudson, FBI, I would like to ask you a few questions about your colleague James Henderson, I believe you were the one who came across his body in the park, what can you tell me about what happened?"

"Well Mr Hudson, I was jogging in the park, I had just finished my shift and as I live in the centre of the city there are not many places to get a good run, so I use the park to get a good workout, I had just turned in the path to head back up the other side, when I saw a shoe sticking out from behind the bush, so I went to look and that's when I saw James, his shirt covered in blood, I knew in an instant he was dead, his skin was grey and his eyes were just fixed at the sky, after I threw up a little at the shock of finding him, I called Metro PD, they took my statement and agreed I could go"

"When was the last time you saw James"

"Two weeks ago at my wedding, I only started back to work after our honeymoon the morning I found him, I worked my shift and headed straight here"

"Are you sure you didn't stop anywhere or do anything before or after work, before your run?"

"If, you are asking me if I killed James, No I didn't, my wife dropped me off a 5:55am, I started work and 6am, finished at 1pm, got dressed and left work at 1:15pm, where I found James ten minutes later"

"Can anyone verify that story?"

"My wife and Dan Kettles, he and I were transporting patients back and forth from casualty to x-ray all morning, the only time we were apart was when we used the bathroom"

"Do you know if James was working that day?"

"No I am not his personal secretary, and to be honest if you are working in casualty people and faces blend together, I could have seen my wife or mother and not noticed"

"Do you know of anyone who would want to kill James?"

"No, as far as I know James didn't have any enemies, but we weren't really buddies outside work, sure I talked to him during the day if I saw him and we went out together on the occasional staff do but apart from that we never interacted, try asking Larry Hanson in physio, he was one of James' best friends if anyone had a grudge against him he would know"

"Thank you Mr Wilson for your co-operation, until we can eliminate you from our investigation please do not leave the country, or if you have to go out of town we will need details where we can contact you"

George just nodded and went back to his work, Jack and Sue headed back down the corridor where they found Dan Kettles who verified that he was working in casualty with George on the day of the murder and had patient logs in his desk to prove it. They got back in the lift, and headed towards the sixth floor of the hospital where the physio department was located, they were greeted by a male, tall and slim, in his late twenties

"Good afternoon, Sir, Madame"

"Good afternoon, I'm Jack Hudson, this is my partner Sue Thomas, I'm investigating the death of James Henderson"

"Oh yes, hello I'm Steven Pollock, I suppose you want to speak to Larry Hanson"

"Yes, why do you ask that?"

"Because he handles James' schedule, if anything was happening in James' life he would know about it and he's James' best mate, has been since pre-school, follow me he is in his office"

The three of them walked towards the end of the room and into a medium sized room, a man in his early thirties was sat at the desk, after introductions were made Jack began

"Mr Hanson, Tell me about James?"

"What can I say, he was my best mate, we were in pre-school together, lived on the same street, went to the same college, we even decided to follow the same careers and got the job at this hospital two days apart, we rarely spend anytime apart, we go to ball games, see movies, though lately he had seemed distracted"

"Distracted how?"

"I don't know, we weren't hanging out as much, I thought maybe he had a new girlfriend and was taking the relationship slow, but when I asked him he denied it, said there hadn't been anyone for a while not since Amanda"

"Amanda?"

"Amanda Willings, she and James were together about five years ago, but I know he hasn't seen or spoken to her since, I think she is married now and living in England"

"Had James' had any clients lately who said they wanted revenge on James' even if it was in a joking way"

"The only guy I can think of that said he would like to see James pay for his torture was Louis Pole, but they were laughing and joking about it two minutes later, James was saying he'd like to see him try with two busted knees"

"Do you know where we would find this Louis Pole?"

"Yes ITU, he was in a car accident, a bad one at that the day before James was killed, been in a coma since"

"Mr Hanson, have you ever seen James with this woman?" Sue asked as she showed a picture of Melanie hoping that this would give them a break and that she was the link

"No, she doesn't look familiar"

"Ok, did James have a diary or computer?"

"Both he had a diary for personal appointments and a computer for work information"

"Do you know where they are we need to take them for our investigation?"

"Yes, both are in his desk, follow me and I'll get them?"

As they left the room Jack glanced out of the window and noticed that the department faced the park

"Mr Hanson are the CCTV camera's on this side of the building, that point in the direction of the park"

"I think so but you'll have to ask Harry in security, his room is on the ground floor, that brown door as you come through the entrance, he would know and he would have the tapes"

Sue nodded, vaguely remembering seeing the door as they walked into the hospital. Once they had collected the evidence they need Jack and Sue made their way back to the ground floor where they found Harry who informed them that one of the cameras does face the park and after much persuasion on Jack's part gave them the tape. They headed back to the car with Sue saying

"Well I think that visit falls under the category 'not helping much with our case"

With a peck on the cheek Jack answered "As usual Hon, your right maybe Bobby and Tara are having more luck"

With that he pulled out his cell and called his best mate

"Hey Crash any luck at the law firm?"

"Hey Jack, not much mate Tara and I have to check out Andrew Hills alibi, we have two computers, a diary, case files and two sets of CCTV as evidence we'll be back in the bullpen in an hour once we've checked this alibi, anything interesting at the hospital"

"No nothing, well nothing that will help the case anyway we managed to get hold of a CCTV video a computer and James' diary but nothing that screams murder; let's hope that Lucy has found a link between the victims'. Well we'll see you back there."

With that Jack and Sue got back in the car and headed back towards the bull pen but not before a long passionate kiss

"What was that for? Not that I mind one bit?" Jack asked

"Nothing really, it's just whose know how long we are going to be stuck in the office I needed something to get me through the evening"

"You know what babe I have a sneaky feeling that you and I are going to be making plenty of food and coffee runs in the next few hours" He smiled with a wink

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, you Mr Hudson are brilliant"

They both laughed at the memory of her calling him brilliant during a previous case involving her friend Carol.

"And that's why you love me" he said with a quick peck and a sneaky grin as he drove off back to the office

**please review x it does me good **


	5. Chapter 5

**Don't know how I managed to get this finished today with a screaming 8month-old and a stroppy 5year old, but i did so enjoy xx like I said this is B/T questioning regarding Melanie Lewis. it is occuring at the same time as the last chapter..**

As Jack and Sue exited the bullpen Tara picked up her telephone and rung the coroner for any up-dated information she could get, after a ten minutes conversation and plenty of scribbling on a piece of paper she looked over at Bobby

"Bobby you ready to go?" she asked grabbing her keys and purse

Right behind you Shelia lead the way" Bobby answered grabbing his wallet and keys off his desk

The two left the bullpen and headed towards the parking garage, after much disagreeing about who was driving Tara finally gave in and agreed that Bobby would drive and she would continue looking through the case notes, that and the fact that she couldn't deal with a sulking Australian all afternoon. After a few minutes on the road and feeling slightly apprehensive at the awkward silence between them Bobby asked

"So Shelia what has got you thinking?"

"Just this case I'm trying to figure out a link, or if there was anything someone missed, seeing if there was a link between them, hours between the times, stabbing-time connections but there is nothing, I can't even see a link in the way they were left they are all in different positions, hopefully this Andrew Hills will give us a clue, or maybe Lucy will use her powers and find a connection"

"I'm with you Tar, there has to be something that they all have in common and I know the evidence disproves it but I have this feeling that the two sets of murders are connected in some way especially after what Sue said regarding the writing the 'e' and the 'n' in both words looks similar, but there isn't even a weapon match, the kills were different, on the surface they seem like two different killers but there is something that keeps telling me that it's the same drongo"

As Bobby finished talking they arrived outside the law firm, after he had parked his car in the garage he and Tara made their way up to the law offices. On entering they were greeted by a short plump woman in her late 40s sitting at a desk finishing up a telephone conversation

"Good Morning Madame, sir, welcome to Hills & Co my name is Gladys, who is your appointment with?"

Bobby and Tara showed their badges and he answered "We don't have one, we are with the FBI, I'm agent Bobby Manning and this is Agent Tara Williams, we are here investigating the murder of Miss Melanie Lewis, we were wondering if your boss Andrew Hills is available we have some questions we would like to ask him"

"Oh yes, we were all very shocked to hear of Mel's murder, she was a good friend to me, helped me out when my husband left and tried taking me to the cleaners, she even got me the job here once our case was finished. Mr Hills is in a meeting at the moment but he should be available in a few minutes.

"Thank you Gladys" Tara answered

"Gladys, do you mind if we ask you a few questions while we wait?"

"No Mr Manning, please carryon I want to do all I can to help"

"When was the last time you saw Melanie?"

I saw her in Lyle's cafe over the street the night she died, my sister and I had met for coffee in there when I finished work, Melanie came in about 8pm and joined us for a coffee and a girly catch up, with the cases she was working on we hadn't had much chance to talk over the last few days and she wanted to ensure that I was ok after my divorce, even though the divorce was over a year ago, Melanie was still worried about me that was the type of person she was, always caring."

"What time did Melanie leave the cafe?"

"I'm not sure my sister and I left just after 8:30, we had dinner reservations for 9pm at the Dominion Thai restaurant, so we said our goodbyes and left, Melanie still had her coffee so I guess she stayed a while longer"

As she mentioned the Dominion restaurant Tara made a note to check the reservation and that they had indeed ate there that night.

"Do you know if Melanie had any enemies?"

"None that I know of, like I said Melanie was very friendly person"

As Gladys finished her statement, Tara noticed a tall man seemingly in his late fifties walked up to the desk and handed Gladys some files before giving her instructions on what to do with them.

"Right away Mr Hills", she replied "Mr Hills, this is Special agent Manning and Williams, they are here investigating Melanie's murder"

He turned to face the two agents who were stood making notes in their pad "Mr Manning, Miss Williams, I'm Andrew Hills I understand you have some questions about Melanie, would you like to come to the office and I'll answer any questions I can"

Bobby and Tara stood up and shook the hand of the man and followed him to his office where he invited them both to take a seat

"Thank you Mr Hills" Booby said "Mr Hills what can you tell me about Melanie?"

"She was a great girl, friendly, great at her job, had a real passion for helping people, if there was a way to make a case easier on clients emotions Melanie would find it. That was the type of person she was she hated to see someone suffering to think that she suffered in this way has hit the whole team hard"

"Is it true that you were the one who found her?"

"Yes, I was heading into work in the morning, the parking in the main garage can be a nightmare, so to make it easier for us both Mel and I used to park in the small car-park behind the walkway and then walk through, in the evenings then I would wait for her and we would walk back to the car-park together, she was more than a colleague she was one of my closest friends. Most mornings we would meet up and call into Lyle's Cafe opposite for a coffee and a muffin. The morning I found her though..." He trailed off obviously upset about something

"Mr Hills is everything alright?"

"Yes sorry, it's just I blame myself, I was off to a the Rainbow Theatre with my sister, my niece was performing a solo as part of their 'Young Dreamers Scheme, I had to leave a little earlier than Melanie so she had to walk back by herself, I just can't get the thought that if I had waited a few more minutes, she would still be alive out of my head"

"Mr Hills I understand that, but I do know that if this guy picked Melanie she would have been killed eventually. Did you see Melanie after you left, I mean you didn't go back to the office or see her?"

"Mr Manning, Melanie was my best friend, I had no reason to kill her, I was at the Rainbow Theatre until 11pm, then my sister, my niece and I went back to her place, where we caught up on all the family gossip, we hadn't really spent much time together as a family for a while due to our workloads so we opened a bottle of wine and had a good catch up. I ended up spending the night on her sofa not wanting to drive"

"We will as you can understand need to verify that story with your sister" Andrew nodded and proceeded to give Bobby her contact details

"Do you know of any cases that she was involved in that would lead to someone wanting to kill her?" Tara asked

"Melanie and I worked on cases together on a regular basis if either one of us needed a second chair, we would call on the other. I know most of her cases and there is no-one I can think of that would want to kill her. She really participated in criminal cases; most of her cases were a fraud or divorce case that's where her expertise lay. Come to think of it one of the husbands from divorce cases was angry with her and one even threatened her, claiming that eventually she would pay for him loosing half of his business, but that was over three years ago now and I don't think she has heard from him since"

"Do you have the name of this husband it may prove to be useful" Bobby questioned

"I can get it for you, it is in the archives if one of my team is threatened I make a note of it on the file" with that Andrew began typing on his computer "here you go Lyle Poles, part owner with his now ex-wife of Pole's Bakery"

"Thank you, Mr Hills, Do you know of anyone else who would want to kill Melanie? Did she have any enemies? Had she recently come out of a rocky relationship? Was she currently in a relationship? Were you aware of anyone making threats towards her?" Tara asked

"No like I said Melanie was a friendly person she couldn't make enemies she got on with everyone. As far as I know she was currently single, though any dates or relationships she would have been involved in would be in her diary, she wrote everything in there always said she couldn't function without it. I don't know about any we rarely talked about her past apparently there was an incident and she wanted to leave it behind her I don't even know what it really involved just that it involved a member of her family. I've known her for nearly five years and in those years I can't remember her having relationships, she had a date a few years ago with a artist but I didn't lead to anything, she may have had other relationships but as close as we were we rarely talked about her private life, she always claimed it was because she wanted to keep her two worlds separate, she found it easier to relax at night, the minute she walked out of her office work stopped, that is unless it was a high profile or particularly complicated case"

"I see... Did Melanie use a work or personal computer for her work, and do would it be possible if we could take them, finally can we have a copy of Melanie's pending and past cases for the last three months, or any other cases that could have resulted in the client wanting to taking revenge " Tara asked

"She used both a personal and work computer, the works computer is in her office, her personal one is probably in her home or car as she very rarely left it here, I can get a copy of her pending cases they will be in her desk, but those from the past three months will need to be located so could take a few minutes"

"Thank you Mr Hills that would be great, Mr Hills do you have a CCTV camera that we could check it could be that whoever killed Melanie, could have known her routine and was waiting for her"

"There is a CCTV camera that points to the main entrance but it doesn't point to the walkway where she was found, but I think that Lyle's over the street has one that points in that direction"

"Ok thanks we'll check it out, Mr Hills please inform us if you are going out of town as we may need to contact you again if we find anything"

"No problem, I have a few high profile cases coming up so will be here, If I give you my card you can contact me at any time, I want be in the office much over the next few weeks. I want to help in any way I can, I want justice for poor Melanie and her family. If you would like to follow me I can get the computer and files you need."

With that Bobby and Tara followed him to Melanie's office where he gave them the current files, her office computer and her personal computer which was in her filling cabinet, Bobby noticed that Melanie's diary was also on the desk and informed Mr Hills that he would be taken that too. They all walked out of the room where Gladys, under Andrew's instructions had located the closed cases and the CCTV disk, handed them to Tara and said

"Please find who did this" before wiping the tears that had fallen from her eyes

"We will certainly try"

Outside Tara turned to Bobby

"Is it just me or was that guy way to helpful?"

"He was a bit Shelia but maybe he was being sincere, I know if one of you guys was murdered I would do everything I could to nail the person who did it" he replied with a wink

"I know maybe I'm just over-thinking it, wanting to find a lead, besides a nice conversation with his sister should get rid of any doubts"

"Or confuse things even more"

With all the evidence safely looked in boxes, Tara went back into Lyles and asked for his CCTV footage which he gave them, as she arrived back at the car she heard Bobby's cell ringing

"Hey Jack, any luck in the hospital? Tara and I have to check out Andrew Hills alibi, we have two computers, a diary, case files and two sets of CCTV as evidence we'll be back in the bullpen in an hour once we've checked this alibi"

"No nothing, well nothing that will help the case anyway we managed to get hold of a CCTV video a computer and James' diary but nothing that screams murder; let's hope that Lucy has found a link between the victims's. Well we'll see you back there."

Once he had hung up his phone Bobby filled Tara in about what Jack had said, their conversation with Julie, Andrew's sister had confirmed what Andrew had told them, so frustrated they headed back to the bull pen ready to spend endless hours drawling through endless hours of CCTV, files and cases.

**please review xx you know how much i love reading them xx**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here you go the next interogation scene it is a longer one but poor Myles and D have three interviews to carryout as well as going to the murder scene xx awww I almost feel sorry for Myles xx **

In the meantime Myles and D were grabbing keys, notepads, pens, mobiles and heading out of the door for the Dominion Restaurant to speak to the souse chef of first victim Lucas Daniels

"According to these notes" Myles said "Simon Tyler has been a souse chef for over five years for our Mr Daniels maybe he was fed of slicing fish and wanted to be the one who gave the orders and with his boss out of the way that's one mighty climb up the career ladder"

"But why kill him, why not change jobs, surely there are other restaurants"

"Maybe he loves Thai food a little too much"

D gave a little chuckle at that last remark and pulled the car outside the Dominion, as they got out of the car a delivery man pulled alongside

"Hey mister you can't park here it's reserved for deliveries, can you not read the sign, its right there in plain sight"

Myles glared at the man and flashed his badge "We have special permission to park there, and unless you want to be hauled in for questioning charged with disrupting an investigation I suggest you find another place to park"

With that the driver nodded his head and drove to the side of the restaurant, mumbling something about them as he went, Myles and D made their way inside, as they entered they were greeted by the noise of a man shouting orders seemingly coming from the kitchen, they continued walking through the building and came across a man approximately 6ft tall, slim and in his mid to late thirties.

"Can I help you?" the man asked

"Yes, I'm agent Gans, this is agent Leland, we are with the FBI we're looking for a Mr Simon Tyler"

"Yes hello, I'm Mr Tyler, I take it your here to talk about Lucas"

"Yes" Myles answered "What can you tell me about the day before he was killed?"

"It was a normal day, we both arrived for work at 7am, with a restaurant this busy there is a lot of preparation involved, we prepared until 11am, and took an quick 30minute break before the restaurant opened at 12pm for lunch, worked through the day until 11pm when the restaurant closed, we both left around 12 midnight that was the last time I saw him that day"

"And the following day when was the first time you saw him?

"When I discovered his body outside Partners Cafe, with it being Tuesday, the restaurant doesn't open until 12:30pm so we always get breakfast in the cafe before starting work..."

"Pardon me for asking but don't you live in a direction that leads to the front of the cafe, why were you around the back there's only a locked door, a door that locks from the inside I might add?"

"Because I didn't go home that night, I have been seeing a girl for the last few weeks, we sort of had a sleepover at her apartment, she lives on Tenth Street, so I took a shortcut through the back alley of the cafe and that is when I found Lucas"

"Does this girl have a name? And I will need details so we can verify your story"

"Melissa Harman, lives in number 4, here is her card it has all her details on it"

"About your job as a souse chef, you have been working for Lucas for five years, now forgive me if I' wrong but it doesn't take that long to learn to cook and with him out of the way doesn't that make you now the head chef?" Myles asked

"Yes, I will admit that some days I get frustrated with how slow my career progress seems to be, but in order to succeed in this business you need to be the best, Lucas understood that and he was determined to make me the best, I have a lot to thank Lucas for, why would I kill him"

"I never said you did, but maybe the slow career advancement would be a good enough motive! Mr Tyler until we have eliminated you from our investigation don't leave the city or if you do needed to leave town please let us know Oh and I'll be needing copies of the CCTV footage"

Once he had handed the tapes to D, both he and Myles made their way back to the car, they headed towards Melissa Harman's apartment to verify his story, which she did showing them snippets of personal videotaped evidence proving he was there all night. Frustrated with the dead end they travelled back towards the home of Kyle Banks, the passer by who found the second victim Daniel Giles, knocking his door they showed him their badges and went inside, fifteen minutes later they exited, convinced that he had nothing to do with the murder and didn't actually know the victim, he was a clerk at the bank near the cafe and like Tyler had taken a short cut through the back alley.

"Strike two" Myles said as they left his house "This investigation seems to be leading to the perfect murder, where's Randy or Webber when you need them, then it truly would be"

D just laughed at the last the comment and they both got back in the car and made their way towards Capital Radio to interview Fred Heart. They pulled up outside the building and were greeted by a man; he was in his late fifties, leaning against the side of the building cigar in one hand, takeaway coffee in the other, sunglasses protecting his eyes from the harsh evening sun and a mobile phone sticking out of his shirt pocket which had the words Capital Radio written across the chest.

"Good evening sir", D greeted, showing his badge "Agent Gans, agent Leland FBI we're looking for a Mr Fred Heart we need to ask his some questions"

The man coughed as he took a puff from his cigar "Look no further gents, you've found him, I suppose this is about old Brian" he asked as they all walked through the entrance and into a small office room, they all took a seat and Myles began

"Yes what can you tell me about this morning?"

"Brian and I were supposed to be meeting in Partners cafe for breakfast at 9am; we are planning a charity event through the radio station and needed to finalize some details. Brian was late this should have instantly sent the alarm bells ringing Brian was never late but I figured with DC traffic he was simply gridlocked, so I called him, several times both at his house and on his cell but still got nothing; I started to get a bit panicky when he still hadn't arrived by 10am, he had a bad fall a few weeks ago he was fine but had a bad concussion, the docs said he could suffer delayed symptoms and I had this vision of him lying unconscious at his home so I made my way there"

"Why did you use the back alley?"

"Because it is a short cut to the main street, you don't have to go around the walkway and almost walk in a circle before reaching the main street, if you go through the alley it takes at least five minutes off the walk and if Brian was unconscious I knew every minute counted"

"Where did you see the body?"

"Around the back near the bins, I was running through the alley when I saw a shoe sticking out from the bins, at first I thought it was a homeless man passed out, but there was something in the shoes and trousers that I recognised as similar to Brian's, as I walked closer to the body and saw the face of the man I instantly recognised him, I nearly passed out when I saw him, he had a gunshot wound and at least four stab wounds that I could see, once I regained my speech and vision I called Metro, they showed up ten minutes later along with some forensic team. They took my statement and I was free to leave"

"Thank you Mr Heart, Do you know of anyone who would want to have killed Brian?"

"Any other time you would have asked me this question I would have said no"

"And now?" Myles interrupted

"Brian does the late show on the radio where there are no rules that the earlier shows have to oblige by, he is free to discuss what he wants, give whatever opinions he wants, and on Tuesday night the topic of domestic violence was discussed"

"What was Brian's view on this?"

"He was against it completely, always has been as long as I've known him, his mother was a victim and ever since whenever the topic was discussed the debates always became very heated"

"What happened during the show?"

"The debate got very heated between himself and a caller, he was saying that a man had a right to control his partner and if violence was needed then why shouldn't it be used, he sounded very old fashioned believed that a woman should basically be her husband's slave and do whatever he wanted, he should basically be worshiped by his wife. As you can imagine Brian got really angry and began talking loudly, the caller started yelling and said that Brian needed to be taught a lesson, he would never forget before hanging up the phone and now with what has happened to Brian maybe killing him was the lesson"

"Do you have the name of this caller?"

"I can't remember his name but we record every show so I have a copy I can check"

"We'll need to take that tape and any others of his show from the last few weeks"

"Sure but due to legalities I will need them back"

"That want be a problem once the investigation is over, one more thing I need to know where you were last night. So we can eliminate you from our enquiries"

"I was at a dinner with my wife and a group of friends, who are currently visiting from out of town, we then went back home and played are usual late night poker game, the wife and I do this once a week, we went to bed around 4am, I was up at 8am and in the cafe by 8:30 ready to meet Brian at 9am, the rest you already know"

"Thank you, we will of course need to verify these details with your wife and friends"

"I understand" with that he gave Myles his wife's details

"Did Brian have a diary, cell phone or computer?"

"He had a cell phone and a diary, his cell phone was taken by Metro as it was on him when I found him, I could see it in his pocket, his diary is probably in his car or home and I think he had a home computer but never used one at the station"

"Ok thank you Mr Heart for your time, please if you do need to leave the country or have any new information please inform us" D said as he handed Fred a business card

"I will but at the moment there is nothing else I can think of"

With that Myles and D exited the station, this time feeling hopeful, they at least had a suspect, they headed towards Heart's house and verified with his wife and the friends who were staying there that Fred was with them all night

"Well that's another suspect crossed off the list" Myles commented as they walked back to the car

"So we have one suspect left, the caller, who is somewhere on this tape"

"And we get the infinite joy of looking for him" Myles added

"Oh the perks of this job" D said

Sighing the two men got back in the car and headed back towards Partner's Cafe they showed the waiter photo's of each victim and recognised Lucas as the chef in the restaurant opposite, Brian as the radio host but had no recollection of Daniel Giles but since he only worked a few evenings a week it didn't mean he had never been in the cafe, Myles had managed to convince the man to hand over CCTV footage from the last two weeks but only after explaining that he could come back with a court order if he refused. With tapes in hand they headed back to the bullpen frustrated with the lack of both suspects and evidence in a triple homicide case.

**please review xx mwah xx **


	7. Chapter 7

**Finally I managed to get this to uploadt , got two chapters for ya x but the next chapter will have to wait cause I was naughty today and didn't write anything *tut tut* xxx anyway lets catch up with Lucy shall we xx lets see what Miss Matchmaker has been doing with her time **

While the team had been out gathering evidence and investigating leads team rota Lucy had been researching each victim in more detail trying to find something, anything, that would give them a lead to the killer. She had worked her magic once again and had discovered important information including where they grew up, where they went to college, that none of them had a criminal record, none of them had any financial problems in fact all 6 victims were in high paid jobs, none of them had ever reported threats against them except Melanie Lewis who had reported a Lyle Poles for harassment and making threats, but Lucy had discovered information that had ruled him out as a potential suspect, she had found something that four of the victims shared and made notes and transcripts one for each team member and Garrett outlining her findings. Once she was satisfied she had managed to find everything she could on the victims, including an interesting link between Melanie Lewis and Lucas Daniels, she looked into the potential suspects who so far included the six people who had discovered the victims and Lyle Poles after Bobby had contacted her regarding their suspicions about him. After finding nothing in their profiles that would suggest a revenge killing, she contacted Metro PD for witness statements or anything else that may give them a lead to follow. Finally she walked over to the white board and began writing up key information on the case and the six victims before finally placing photographic evidence of all suspects ready to be crossed off as they were eliminated from the investigation, knowing that she had already ruled out Lyle Poles she crossed his photo with a red X.

Satisfied that everything was ready for when the team was to arrive back in the bullpen she grabbed a pile of reports and Ted's copy of her findings off her desk and walked out of the office reports in hand to give to Randy, but not before writing a note saying 'Dear Randy, heard on the grapevine that you had been complaining that you had nearly enough paperwork to keep you busy and trapped in your office for the next six months and with us all wanting a quiet life I thought I'd help you out and enable you to reach your goal x Don't say I never do anything for you xxx Love Miss Lucy Dotson

With a spring in her step she headed for Randy's office, reports and note in her hand, she walked in, placed the reports and note on his desk and made her way back to the bullpen with a sneaky, satisfied grin on her face, but not before calling into Garrett's office with a copy of her finding for him

"Thanks Lucy" he said as she handed him the file "are the team back yet?"

"No, but Bobby and Myles just called saying they would be in about ten minutes, but I have no idea how long Jack and Sue are going to be"

"Ok, when everyone is back come get me so I can hear what they have found out"

"No worries, speak to you later"

With that she exited the office and made her way back to the bullpen and knowing the team would be back any moment she turned on Bertha the coffee maker and made her way back to her desk to enjoy the peace and quiet around her, she closed her eyes for a moment and listened to the noises around her all she could hear was the street noise outside and the rumble of Bertha as she warmed and percolated in the corner of the room.

Five minutes later her silence was interrupted by the sound of a laughing Australian "oh well silence was golden" she laughed to herself

**review, review, review xxx please xx **


	8. Chapter 8

**Ok I think its time we put a fluffy chapter in before the hunt for out notorius killer begins and the games start xx **

Myles, pulled into the garage and both he and D exited the vehicle, each of them making their way to the trunk of the car pulling out an overnight bag, knowing that they were not leaving until these psycho's were behind bars Ted had insisted that each member of the team went home to grab some changes of clothes and anything else they may need, Myles closed the trunk and he and D were about to make their way back to the bullpen when they heard the screeching tyre noise that could only come from team Crash behind them

"May as well wait for them" D said

As Myles nodded the pair watched on as their colleagues repeated the same actions they had not two minutes ago

"Is it any wonder you go through so many cars and tyres I might add driving like that" Myles said

"Oh hush Myles; you are just jealous that I Randy seems to approve my car repairs a lot quicker than he does yours, besides I have a nickname to adhere too"

D and Tara just looked at each and laughed at not only the comeback of Bobby but also the disgusted look on the face of Myles when he realised that what Bobby had said was true, he had three new tyres on his car in the past few weeks, yet he still had a dent in the side of his from the Arif Dessa case.

"So did you two find anything interesting about your victim?" D asked as they made their way towards the elevator

"Nothing!" Tara answered "Well apart from the fact that Miss Lewis had received threats from an old client, Lucy is looking into it so we'll know more when we get there."

"What about you anything that screams FBI I'm your killer come get me?" Bobby asked earning him another glare from Myles

D was about to enter when the elevator doors opened at their floor, on exiting he answered

"Maybe, it seems out Mr McNeal had a rather heated debate on air the night before he was killed and according to the station manager the listener said he would pay"

"Oh I heard about that debate from one of the guys in the lab, apparently they were discussing domestic violence, I missed that show when I was undercover for the Mason case but according to JP it was rather heated" Bobby said

"It's a pity you were undercover it would save us the job of going through the tape of the show for the next few hours" Myles said

"Now Myles" Bobby said as he slapped his friend on the shoulder "It wouldn't hurt you to gain an insight and a little culture, besides it could be worse, Tara and I have to sit through endless hours of CCTV footage of an alleyway"

Myles just rolled his eyes and huffed earning laughs from the other three team members as they all walked into the bullpen

"Hey Luce" they all said

"Hi guys, coffee is on"

"Aww Lucy you are a star" Bobby said as he walked over to her and gave her a hug

"So where are Jack and Sue?" she questioned

"No idea" Bobby answered "Jack called us about an hour ago saying he was heading back here, even with two stops to get clothes and things they should have been back by now, I wonder what their up to?"

"Knowing them two, making out but of course only as part of their investigation" Myles said which once again caused the other team members to roar with laughter and for each of them to have an I really hope they are look in their eyes.

Lucy handed the files containing her findings to each of the team members, before she crossed out the faces of Andrew Hills, Simon Tyler, Kyle Marks and Fred Heart once the 4 team member had explained that they had been eliminated from the investigation. All five members sat drinking coffee while reading their findings and reports as they waited for the remaining two team members to arrive.

Across the other side of town Jack and Sue were at Jack's apartment supposedly so that Jack could grab some spare clothes and his heart medication, but they were in fact sat on his sofa, Sue was crying and Jack was holding her, rubbing her back as he tried to reassure her. The two had been all smiles as they entered the apartment, they were flirting and Sue was still trying to get Jack to admit that he enjoyed Pretty Woman but he was determined that that was never going to happen, he had grabbed some spare clothes from his closet and the two were about to leave when Jack remembered that he was going to need his heart medication.

"Hang on babe I've forgotten something" he said getting her attention as they were about to leave

With that he went into the bathroom and grabbed the two boxes of tablets, seeing him exiting with the boxes in his hand Sue's mind flashed back to the night where he almost died right in front of her and a few tears fell from her eyes

"Hey honey what's wrong?" Jack asked concerned as he looked at her

"It's just seeing the tablets brought that night back and I remembered how I nearly lost you and I don't want to go through that again, I can't lose you"

Jack walked closer and took her hand, walking her over to his sofa, sitting them both down he held onto her hands and making sure she was looking at him he said "Sue, honey, you are not going to lose me, I went to the cardiologist last week and he said that as long as I keep taking my medication I should live for a long while yet, so I'm afraid your stuck with me for a long time yet"

"Are you sure everything is ok, I love you too much to think that you could have another attack anytime" she asked and by know the tears were flowing freely down her face

"Cross my heart, everything is fine and I love you too much to leave you alone too" he replied pulling her into him rubbing her back as she cried

After a few minutes had passed Sue stopped crying and even started to feeling embarrassed at her breakdown, she lifted her head and signed **SORRY **to Jack

"You have nothing to be sorry for" he said "and as much as I would love to stay right here with the woman I love we have to go catch some bad guys and we still need to go and get stuff for you, Lucy and Levi" with that he grabbed her hands and pulled her off the sofa and into a massive hug with a final kiss to her lips the couple walked out of the apartment down to his car, but this time instead of holding hands he had his arm around her waist and she had both of hers around him leaning on his shoulder. They got in the car and drove to Sue and Lucy apartment with her hand resting on his knee, his hand entwined in hers and Levi curled up on the seat behind Jack, once they had grabbed everything they needed they got back in the car and headed back to the bullpen in the same way they had on the way to her apartment. Pulling into the garage the pair got out of the car and were about to get their bags and stuff for Levi from the trunk when Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her in the opposite direction

"Jack..." she yelled as he pulled her "Have you lost your sense of direction, the office is that way" she continued pointing behind her

"I know that but I'm not ready to share my beautiful girlfriend with the rest of the team quite yet, so I thought we'd go and get supper for everyone at Slappy's, that way three things will happen"

"And what Honey might that be?" Sue asked with a questioning look in her eyes

"Well babe, first of all I get you all to myself for a few more minutes..." he was about to continue when she interrupted him

"That first reason deserves a reward" she said and she kissed him passionately in the middle of the street earning wolf whistles from the group of builders across the street "and the other two reasons" she asked breathlessly

"Um...reasons for what?" Jack asked unable to think or even talk straight "Oh right reasons for going to Slappy's ... Well the first one you know" he said with a wink "Secondly their French fries are the best and thirdly I for one don't want to deal with Crash moaning he's starving all evening"

The two of them laughed and agreed that they would rather sit in a room with Randy giving a lecture on proper shoe cleaning techniques, than have Bobby moaning all night and it had been at least four hours since he had his lunch and we both know he's probably already complaining he's starving and feeling faint. They walked into Slappy's and ordered five double, double meals with strawberry shakes and a chicken salads for Myles and D, knowing that Myles would complain about the high levels of cholesterol and D would point out yet again that "that stuff will kill you". With Jack carrying their food and Sue holding Levi the two made their way back to the garage, Jack placed the food on the roof of his car and grabbed the two bags and a bag of dog food from the trunk, before attempting to take the food box off the roof

Sue standing there laughing at him said "Honey let me take the food you take the bags"

"No babe I can manage, besides you have Levi"

"I can manage a box as well as Levi, besides I have visions of you dropping something and if that was to become a reality I may pass out from the laughter"

"Ok you take the food but let me take Levi you need both hands to carry that box"

So Sue took the food off the roof while giving Levi's leash to Jack and together they made their way back to the bullpen

"Oh I feel ill; I'm so hungry I may faint"

These were the first words Jack heard as he approached the door, noticing his laughter Sue asked him what he found so funny, telling her resulting in them both cracking up Sue deciding to surprise Bobby with the food waited a few minutes before entering behind Jack empty handed

"I know that laugh" Bobby said "Hey its Mr and Mrs Sparky... Oh hang on Mr Sparky where is your misses?" He continued noticing that Sue was nowhere to be seen

Jack shot him a look and said "She is right behind me and if you be nice you can have some of what she is carrying"

"I was beginning to wonder why you were carrying all the supplies and had Levi's leash, thought we was going to have to start calling you donkey for a moment there" Myles laughed

"Yeah but then again we all know that Agent Sparky has never been able to resist any requests of our Miss Thomas" Lucy added

As she finished talking Sue came walking into the room empty handed

"Eh Miss Thomas, your hubby informed us that you had something nice for us all and your empty handed, so Lucy I do believe that you were right our Agent Sparky cannot resist her demands"

"Guys if you would exercise some manners and let me speak I'll tell you what we have bought you" she said

"Sorry, seems we've upset your misses Jack, better go and console her, give her a nice hug and make her feel better" Bobby said with a wink and a nudge aimed at Jack

Both Jack and Sue seemed to have discovered something interesting around the room at this point both hoping that Jack could indeed resist the urge to hug her, both of them thinking that they would never let go if he/she did. Gaining her composure Sue led Jack and the rest of the team towards the conference room where the Slappy's take-out had been left. Sue grabbed one meal and took it to Ted who expressed his gratitude and praised both her and Jack on how they were managing to keep their secret, signing thank you too him she headed back out the door to enjoy her own meal. Lucy seeing the team supper as a chance to play matchmaker ensured that the only chair left when Sue came in was the one next to Jack not that either of them cared much for it gave Jack the chance to play with Sue foot using his own as they ate, causing her to cough and chuckle several times and her friends to wonder what she was finding so amusing, claiming it was just Levi's fur on her leg. Once the meal was finished the team headed back to the bullpen ready to update each other on the investigation.

**REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW XXX PLEASE XX **


	9. Chapter 9

Following their Slappy's supper, six team members made their way back to the bullpen in the hope that one of them had discovered something that would lead to a killer; each member took their usual seat Bobby was sat on the end of Jack's desk, Sue was next to him and Jack was the other side, Myles had perched himself on the end of Bobby's desk while Tara was sat on his chair, D was leaning on Sue's desk they all sat and waited for Lucy and Ted to arrive, a few minutes later they entered the room and took seats next to D, Jack tapped Sue's arm as an indication that they were ready for the briefing

"So team, do I take it to mean that those red X's on the suspects indicate that they have been ruled out as the killer" the team nodded "how?" Ted asked

"Well", Bobby answered, "The very helpful, Mr Andrew Hills, has the confirmed alibi of a evening with his sister and niece, he did inform us of a Lyle Poles who was apparently very angry with Melanie when he lost half of his bakery business, and Lucy discovered he had made several threats towards her, but she has also managed to rule him out of the investigation"

"It seems our Mr Poles was involved in a car accident about three weeks ago and is still in intensive care, in DC Medical Hospital, his body was apparently so badly injured and bruised his ex wife had to go in and identify him" Lucy added once Jack had informed Sue she was about to speak

Bobby who was sat the other side of Sue tapped her arm "We have a diary, case files, CCTV and two computers to go through to see if we can find anything that may lead to a suspect"

"Ok, Luce did you find out anything interesting about Miss Lewis" Jack asked as he nodded towards her

"She was born in Georgia, her father is an investment banker, her mother is an accountant, she has one sister who is younger and an older brother, both of whom still live in Georgia as do her parents, apparently she and her sister had a big bust up six years ago and she hasn't spoken to her since, she does keep rare contact with her parents and brother though, she has no financial problems, in fact she has several thousand dollars in her bank account. She went to Harvard Law School and graduated five years ago, she has worked for Hills and Co for the past 4 ½ years, she did work on a few criminal cases but since her expertise was in fraud and divorce law these were her main focus, her last case ended two days before she was killed, she was representing a company where one of the employers had been accused of spending the company's money on personal items, the case was plea- bargained, it never even got to court. Her personal life is a lot more interesting though it seems that she and Lucas Daniels the head chef and first victim in the other case were an item not long after she moved here to DC, they were together for about six months before they split it was a mutual breakup both claiming work commitments as the reason"

"Phew Good Job Shelia" Bobby said

"What about James Henderson, Jack? Any idea as to who killed him?" Ted asked

"Nope, Our main suspect George Wilson was working all morning in casualty, each time he transported a patient he has to sign records and there were documents and files on his colleagues computer proving that he was occupied during the time of the murder"

"Any enemies or threats that we need to be aware of"

Sue continued "There was a guy Louis Pole, who had made a joking threat to James, but he too has been in intensive care following a car accident the day before the murder" as she leant over a put a red X through the face of George Wilson

"We were able to get hold of a CCTV camera that faces the park, so we may get something from that and also his diary and computer which Tara Tech has agreed to go through, there was something that his best friend told us, he said that during the last few weeks James had been distracted, he thought he may have had a new girlfriend but James had insisted that there hadn't been anyone since some girl called Amanda. Luce did you find anything interesting in his background?"

"Nothing that raises a red flag, he was born in Arizona, parents are both living there he has one sister who also still lives in Arizona, he moved here ten years ago and started working in the hospital five weeks later, his last girlfriend that we know of was eight years ago Amanda Collins, she is now married and living in England, no financial problems, no enemies or threats"

"So basically what you are saying" Myles added "is that we have nothing to go on, no suspects and no leads"

"Oh Myles, you are quick I must admit" Sue added with a wink

"What about the second victim Sharon Timmons?"

"We have no suspects in this case, we don't even know who the homeless guy is, with her being in childcare we can't interview her co-workers until the morning, Sue and I are going to see them tomorrow see if we can find anything" Jack answered

"I found out that Miss Timmons has been working in child care for the past six years, she lived in North Carolina, and has three sisters, once again no financial troubles and has a close relationship with her mother and sisters, she is close to her father but there has been a few issues between them, mainly due to the fact that her father is very protective of her with her being his youngest daughter, she used to be in a relationship with a doctor Dean Gills but that ended over two years ago but he is now married and living in LA and working as a cosmetic surgeon."

"Ok great work as usual guys" Ted answered "What about the other three victims in the shooting case anything interesting?"

"Only in the Brian McNeal murder, it seems Mr McNeal had a rather on air heated debate with a listener last week and apparently the last thing he said was that Brian would pay for what he was saying, we have a copy of the show tape to go through and find a name for our caller" D added

"As for the other two victims, Simon Tyler the souse chef and best mate of Lucas Daniels was busy with his girlfriend on the night of the murder and we have seen the rather graphic and rather personal videotaped evidence confirming this, if you um catch my drift" Myles added, to which the whole team nodded "as for Kyle Marks, he was simply a passer by taking a shortcut through the alley behind the cafe he too has a confirmed alibi"

"And I found nothing interesting in their profiles apart from the usual places they were born, family, jobs, financial situations, nothing raises a red flag, something that did catch my attention was that our Mr McNeal wasn't born in America, he was born in New-Zealand, his father raised him single handily from the age of 3 months, he met an American girl and moved here before Brian was two years old"

"Oh Luce you do amaze me with the amount of interesting yet pointless information you can dig up" Myles said earning him hard stares from everyone in the team including Ted

"Argh!" Bobby yelled, causing everyone, including Sue who felt the vibrations through her arm from his outburst glanced at him 2 "Sorry guys, it's just cases like this where there are no leads really winds me up" the whole team nodded at his conveying that they all felt the same way.

"Tara, did the coroner give you anything interesting?" D asked

"Yes, we have more accurate T.O.D.s for Melanie Lewis and Brian McNeal, Melanie was killed at approx 11pm and Brian McNeal 8am, they also confirmed that the knives were indeed a steak knife with a jagged edge in the first set due to the wounds and a hunting knife in the second set due to the cleanliness of the wounds, as for the gun it is a 9mm handgun according to the bullets possibly a Browning Hi-Power, finally it seems that none of our victims had taken any controlled substance 48hrs before they were killed"

Glancing around seeing the tired faces of his team Ted glanced at his watch noticing that it was 2am before the team finished updating him, he spoke up

"OK guys, you have all done well today, tomorrow is going to be a long day, there are mountains of CCTV to go through so I suggest you all get some rest in the cots, but be back here for 7am"

The whole team nodded and made their way to the sleep room, all except Jack and Sue who after giving each other a small signal had come up with an excuse to hang back a bit longer, Jack claimed he needed to get his heart medication from his desk even though he had a box in his jacket pocket and Sue claimed she needed to grab her blackberry which was in her coat pocket even though it was in fact in the jacket she was wearing. Once he was sure they had all gone he grabbed Sue's waist and gave her another of those long, passionate kisses that he knew she loved

"What was that for?" she asked breathlessly

"Well I always give my girlfriend a kiss goodnight and that wasn't going to change just because we are in the office" he replied with a grin and a wink

"Well in that case I guess I should give my boyfriend a kiss back" she replied before leaning in and kissing him again.

Once the pair had parted they made their way to the sleep room where Miss Matchmaker was sat on her bed looking pleased with herself, she had arranged it so that the two beds in the corner of the room had to be taken by Jack and Sue considering they were the only two left, rolling their eyes at her they went into the bathrooms to change into a more comfortable sleeping outfit, a chorus of goodnights both in voice and signs could be seen and heard from the team as they all settled into their beds Jack looked around the room to make sure Lucy couldn't see him turned back to look at Sue and signed **Goodnight honey, I love you, sleep well **to which she signed back **good night, I love you too, with all my heart, **that was the last thing the couple saw before they both drifted off to sleep dreaming about the person they loved.


	10. Chapter 10

**WARNING THERE IS SWEARING IN THIS CHAPTER AND MAY NOT BE SUITED TO YOUNGER READERS, ALSO THERE IS A DISCRIPTION OF VIOLENCE **

Across town a drunken 45 year old man was sat in his small one bedroom apartment, which was covered in empty pizza boxes, cigarette boxes, empty whisky and vodka bottles, stacks of newspapers and books, was looking at two set of photographs, eight photos per set, that he had pinned to the wall, six from each set had X's through them, smiling at the fact that he had killed six people to date, though in his mind it was twelve, six victims and six ego's. He had watched each one of them, he knew everything about them and was careful with his choosing, he had to make sure that those thick, arrogant bastards would be completely clueless about who his next victim would be even though the answer was right under their poxy noses all they had to do was figure it out. He looked at each victim and began talking to their alter ego in the other set of photo's recalling each memory

"James Henderson you were first, you started of all this, you are in love, yeah well so was I, I had everything before your colleague took it all from me, it was his fault my life fell apart, and Oh how I want to make him pay, of course I couldn't kill him or any of his colleagues, no, that would make it far too easy for you to find me but with these" he continued stroking the faces of each victim 2 "With these the fantasy could be better, I could kill you all individually and ensure that I killed you all, maybe one day I will" smiling he looked at the next photo "Sharon Timmons, not much I can say about you considering I never got the chance to know you, thanks to him, but still you are now part of them so you had to go and you are in love too, with him I might add" he said pointing to a picture of a male "yeah well I was in love, I had a girlfriend and she left me while I'll rotted in prison thanks to your friend, who I might add didn't even like you at first, but that's the sort of person he his doesn't care who he hurts as long as it makes him look like the big I am!" Glancing at the picture of Melanie his faced angered more, his eyes were fierce, punching her ego's picture hard he began yelling

"YOU! YOU ARE THE REASON, YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME, MY GIRLFRIEND, MY HOME, MY JOB; I LOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF YOU. ALL I WANTED WAS TO GET BACK WHAT I WAS OWED, I WAS OWED HALF THE MONEY, BUT NO YOU HAD TO TRICK ME, YOU HAD TO BECOME MY FRIEND, YOU HAD TO MAKE ME BELIEVE YOU WERE GOING TO HELP ME AND WHAT HAPPENED YOU ARREST ME AND PUT ME IN JAIL TO ROT FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, EVEN THOUGH I GAVE YOU THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZER YOU STILL LIED AND GOT ME SENT TO JAIL"calming his voice he continued

"That is why they, including you had to die, I needed you to suffer; all the others suffered a quick death, but not you, that would have been far too easy, a few minor cuts here and there and then BOOM! A knife straight through the heart oh I'll never forget that look in your eyes as you pleaded with me stop it was beautiful, you were so scared" he added sniggering to himself

Looking at the next picture he said simply

"You are the lucky one, your next! I warn you though you will be dead in the next..", glancing at his watch, "two hours, so I suggest you enjoy what time you have left cause at eight o'clock you and me are going to be very close"

"Lucas, you had to die, I had to ensure that he lost someone he loved so you had to go, I know he cheated on you maybe now you realise how heartless and worthless he truly is, he doesn't deserve anyone in his life especially you, all you did was love him"

"Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, you had to go, you reminded me of what I lost, you had it all a loving wife, two kids, I nearly had that until he took it all away from me, I couldn't sit back and watch you be happy living your perfect life"

"Ah the latest victim Brian, his partner during the deceit, sure you were behind the scenes but it was your investigative skills that led him to me, so you had to die"

Finally his eyes gazed on the final picture an older man than the rest

"You are next" he glared "tomorrow, be prepared, for before you know it you will be dead and my revenge will be complete, maybe then I will kill them all again and again and again, for revenge will never be enough until every member of that team are dead, dying in the most vicious and inhumane way possible"

Laughing to himself he took another swig from his whisky bottle and grabbed his knife off the table, saying goodbye to the next victim he made his way to the cyber cafe he knew she would be going for breakfast

The woman with blonde hair walked her usual route towards her favourite cafe; she was in the mood for pancakes this morning before a long day of styling the hair of the DC public, she had planned to meet her best friend Lily in the cafe for a good girly gossip and a look at the internet before work. It was only 7:55am but the sun was high in the sky warming her body, glad that she had decided to wear crop trousers and a thin t-shirt this morning she continued her walk towards the cafe, little did she know but she was never going to arrive.

She didn't even hear him coming up behind her, she had no chance, he grabbed her hair yanking it backwards as he put one hand over her mouth preventing her from screaming, looking around hoping someone would help her she realised that the park was quiet this morning, but still she kept on fighting him trying to release herself from his powerful, the smell of the alcohol as he breathed on her was making her sick

"Stop struggling bitch! And this will be over a lot quicker" he snapped as she continued to move, then with a raise of his left hand he plunged the ragged edged knife into her chest, gasping for breath she struggled to remain upright, she could feel the blood oozing from her chest making her feel weaker and weaker, she tried to stay alert but she had no strength, all she could remember was slumping to floor, she was gone!

"I warned you" he said "I told you, you and I were going to meet up soon, if you were stupid enough not to listen and to take his side you deserved to die" he continued whispering in her ear and now for your punishment he lunged the knife one into her right arm, one into her left leg and finally one on her stomach, as he lunged in with a final thrust he dragged the knife down her body creating a large open wound grinning widely as he heard the sound of her flesh tearing under the knife, finally taking out his pen and writing REVENGE across her head. Satisfied with his work he placed the knife back in his pocket and headed back towards his home as if nothing had happen, laughing as he heard the screams of a young woman.


	11. Chapter 11

**here you go guys next chapter xx after the last one I though we'd have some fuzzies and our team attempting to solve one more puzzle x thank you to all of those who have already reviewed, added the story to their alerts or even me to their favourites it means a lot to me xx those of you reading alone for christmas will be happy to know that i've decided to write some one shots following the ending once this one is complete xxx I also have a Bobby/Tara story in the book I just have to find time to type them up xxx there are about 6 stories in there altogether xx **

In a small room with seven cots a team of FBI agents were fast asleep unaware of what was happening in a park not two miles from where they slept. The room was fairly large with a glass window providing a lot of natural light, there were three doors in the room one leading to the rest of the office and two others leading to a male and female toilet and shower room. Sue Thomas woke a little before 7am and even though she had spent the night sleeping on a small cot she was feeling really relaxed and refreshed, or as relaxed as she could knowing there was at least one serial killer on the loose. Stretching her back and sitting up she could help but smile as she glanced to her right, there in front of her was the man she had wanted to wake up to for the past four years, the person who was always there for her when she needed him, the man with the most beautiful brown eyes and it was those eyes that were looking at her right now

"**Morning beautiful**" he signed

She was about to sign something back when she saw that Lucy was staring right at her, from behind Jack's shoulder, and as their relationship was currently a secret from the rest of the team she simply said

"Morning Lucy" hoping Jack would catch on that Miss Matchmaker was awake

"**Morning Sue, Sleep well?"**

"**I slept very well thanks Lucy, you?"**

"Great, so how was it waking up next to Jack?" Lucy asked smiling, instead of signing

Sue didn't answer she just shot her a look and rolled her eyes, she also had to stop herself whacking Jack who was laughing silently to himself at her obvious discomfort and the pink tinge to her cheeks. Not wanting to endure another 'why don't you just tell Jack you're in love with him' conversation, she headed for the bathroom, returning 30 minutes later she was refreshed, dressed and ready for the new day

"Morning Jack" she smiled as she saw him now sitting up in his cot

"Good morning Sue, Levi, sleep well?"

To which she just nodded, resisting the urge to kiss her good morning Jack excused himself and headed for the men's bathroom, Sue sat on the edge of her cot and put on her shoes, clipped Levi's leash and informed Lucy that she was going to walk Levi and grab some muffins, coffee and bagels for the teams breakfast. As she was just disappearing from sight Jack exited the bathroom, he too was dressed and ready to start the day

"Lucy do you know where is Sue going?" Jack asked trying not to sound too eager

"Walk Levi and get breakfast for the team" she replied

Bobby who was still asleep at this point suddenly opened his eyes and propped up in bed

"Did someone say breakfast?"

"Crash does your stomach have some kind of radar where food is concerned? Sue has gone to walk Levi and get some breakfast from Samuel's on the way back" Jack answered

"Oh Jack you really should reward Mrs Sparky, supper last night and breakfast this morning, she really is spoiling you, she is a good un you should keep a hold of her. But tell her to be quicker I'm blinking starving"

Jack rolled his eyes "I'd be more shocked if you weren't starving Crash by the way I paid for the Slappy's not Sue. By the way, Sue has Levi with her and she had a job to hold him and carry the box yesterday so someone needs to go help her and considering I'm the only dressed I suppose I get the job" with that Jack sprinted out of the sleep room at the speed of an Olympic sprinter.

Lucy and Tara who were in the bathroom had missed the conversation between the two best friends, exited the bathroom dressed for the new day, the first thing they saw was Jack speeding off through the door

"Where's he off to in such a hurry?" Tara asked

"Yeah I've never seen him move so quick this time in the morning" Lucy added

"He said something about going to help Sue carry the breakfast" and with that he walked over to the two girls and put an arm around each of their shoulders "and they say chivalry's dead"

Laughing the two girls headed for their cots to put their shoes on and Bobby headed for the bathroom emerging ten minutes later dressed and refreshed, but still complaining that he was starving before hugging Tara who had found an energy bar in her bag and give it to him to 'tide him over'

As they gathered up their belongings and tidied their individual areas Tara had a thought

"Hey guys, I've just realised something" Bobby, Lucy, and D, who was awake at this point and heading for the bathroom, stopped and the three of them looked at her questionably "Is it just me or are Jack and Sue nipping off to buy us lunch, breakfast or dinner an awful lot lately"

Lucy smirked as she realised that Tara was right. In the past few weeks they had bought breakfast for the team at least five times that she could remember and if the team were working on a case they would be the ones who went to grab everyone lunch, looking at Tara she replied

"You are right and you know what else if one goes the other follows a few minutes behind stating their are going to help, or they need some fresh air or Levi needs a walk, or if Sue leaves Levi behind for a few minutes Jack insists she shouldn't be alone"

Myles who was awake at this point and standing by them waiting for D to emerge from the bathroom said "Maybe their having a secret affair, after all the dating rule states that they can't date exclusively so meeting in secret, popping off to get 'food or 'walk Levi' would be the perfect excuse"

"No way, we would know surely, I mean we are FBI agents, trained in surveillance and investigative skills one of us would have surely noticed if they were dating. "

"Yes, Lucy, we are all FBI thanks for pointing that out I was wondering what I was carrying around this gun and badge for." Myles replied "Yet another piece of useless information, but you are failing to remember one important piece of information"

Lucy who was giving Myles death stares at his last comment snapped "WHAT!"

Tara who seemed to get Myles's point and thought at this looked at him and together they replied

"So are they"

"There is no way they are dating. Besides Bobby and I are their best friends they would have told us, though come to think of it the two have them have gone out to dinner a lot in the last few weeks"

"But that's nothing unusual" Bobby answered "They've often had dinner together"

"That's true but Sue has also been spending an awful lot of time at the deaf club" Tara pointed out

"And Jack seems to be attending a number of charity events, or hockey games in the last few weeks none of which, I might add, as he invited me to."

The whole team fell silent, smiling happily in the middle of the sleep room all secretly hoping that their theory was true while trying to figure out a way to find out. All five of them exited the room and made their way back to the bullpen where at exactly 8:15am Ted Garrett entered the bullpen

"Where are Jack and Sue" his voice boomed

"Getting breakfast and walking Levi" came the Aussie voice

"Someone get them on the phone and back here soon as"

"Ok, I'm on it, what's up anyway Ted, if you don't mind me asking" D answered

"Two words Gans, New Victim" was his simple reply

D in an instant picked up his phone and called Jack

Meanwhile at the entrance to the Hoover Building a blonde analyst was standing with her foot against the wall and her hearing dog at her feet waiting for Jack to arrive knowing full well he would have followed her out as soon as he saw her leave, moving to look towards the entrance, there he was exiting the elevator giving her the smile that made her knees weak, heart beat faster and palms sweaty, standing in front of him she grabbed the corners of his jacket and pulled him into one of the most passionate, tongue tangling kisses they had ever shared

"I have wanted to do that all morning" she said after the few moments it took her to calm her breathing and steady herself

"Believe you me, I have wanted you too" he replied as they walked towards the park hand in hand determined to enjoy the next half an hour or so they had together alone, after a few moments minutes of walking around the park Jack tapped her hand with his spare one, Sue looked at him and instantly recognised that teasing look in his eye

"Yes dear" she asked

Laughing Jack asked "You never answered Lucy's question this morning"

Walking towards the coffee shop she asked "Honey, what question?" though she knew full well which question he was on about after all it was the only questioned she had asked without signing

"You know which one, the one about what it was like waking up next to me"

"Oh that one, it was OK, I've woken up to worse" she answered with a teasing look in her eyes

"Just OK" he asked with sad puppy dog eyes and a pouting lip

"Oh don't look at me like that, if you must know it was very close to the perfect way to wake up. I've wanted to wake up to your eyes and smile for so long and this morning nearly made my wish comes true" closing the gap between them she curled her arms around neck as he held her waist she continued leaning into him, whispering in his ear "and I look forward to the day when I can do it again but in our own bed, the bed we share together, wrapped up in each other's arms, shut off from the rest of the world. Then it truly would be perfect"

Both of the stood outside the coffee shop smiling, hoping that day would come soon, leaning in for another kiss they connected for a few seconds before Jack's phone rung

"Hold that thought" he said as he grabbed his phone, Sue stood with her arms still around him and his one around her, she watched his conversation with the caller

"HUDSON"

"When?"

"Ok, we are just going in for the coffee and food, be there in about ten minutes"

"Ok Bye"

"Babe, Honey, Sweetie, JACK! everything ok, what's going on" she asked placing her hand lovingly on face as she saw the faraway look in his eyes and the one tear on his face

Jack looked back at her placing his own hand on her cheek smiling "Sorry baby" he said placing a small kiss on her cheek "Its just a new victim was found 10minutes ago in the park near Archie's cafe and I just zoned out for a second. We need to get back to the office."

Sue nodded and grabbed the bagels, donuts and muffins as Jack carried the coffee tray, within ten minutes of ending the call Jack and Sue were in the bullpen with the team drinking coffee, eating donuts, muffins or bagels, hoping that their breakfast would not pay a return visit as they looked at the crime scene photo from Metro


	12. Chapter 12

Eight members of an FBI team stood in shock at the sight of the woman on the screen in front of them; she had been stabbed in the chest, once in the arm, once in the leg and finally which was what had made many of the team members gasp in shock and horror she had a large open-almost sliced wound through her stomach exposing many of the muscles inside. Tara who was looking at the crime scene photo suddenly dropped his pen and gasped

"Tara, are you alright?" Bobby asked concerned

"Um yeah sure, no, not really, I'll be fine"

Placing an arm around his friends shoulder "Tara what's up you look awful, your colour has gone and you look like you are going to pass out"

"I'm fine stop fussing, Bobby, Um Lucy do you have any information on our victim"

Lucy who had been busy at her computer since Ted had entered, stepped forward so that Sue had a clear view of her responded, signing the words she knew and finger spelling any names

"Her name is Trinity Walters; she was born in New York and moved to DC about five years ago, she worked as a hairdresser in..."

"Cuts and Curls" Tara answered before she had chance to continue

"Yeah that's right how do you know that?" Lucy asked

"Because it is the same hairdresser I use and Trinity has cut my hair since I moved to DC, she moved away a few years back, when that CRAZY LOCO was after me, but moved back a few months ago"

"Tara, I have to admit it you have rotten luck with hairdressers" Myles quipped earning him a slap on the arm from Lucy who was the closest to him

"OK can we please get back to the business at hand, I mean there are two killers on the loose and I for one would like to catch them before the weekend" Jack said trying to get order back in the room

A chorus of 'sorry Jack' could be heard around the room as they gestured for Lucy to finish

"She had no financial problems that I have managed to find so far, her parents have both passed away, she has one sister, was currently single, she went finished high school and went to college to gain her hairdressing qualification, moved away for a few months when her mother was diagnosed with cancer and moved back when she passed away, her father died ten years ago also from cancer. Her sister is living in Michigan the police there are trying to get in contact with her. She was found just after 8am this morning with four stab wounds, she was found by a Natalie Edwards, a fourteen year old girl who was on her way to school, in Dent Park, opposite Archie's Cafe, she is with an officer from Metro at the moment waiting for her parents, the coroners are waiting for her body to be transferred so they can do their area of investigation should have results by the end of the day"

"Great job as usual Luce" Jack said "ok guys Bobby, Tara go interview Natalie see if she saw anything, then go to the Cafe see if they have any witnesses or CCTV we can use, D and Myles I know you have tapes to analyse but can you go and see the manager of Cuts and Curls, find out what she was like, if she had any enemies, the usual"

"What about us?" Sue asked

"We are going back to school to interview the friends and co-workers of Sharon Timmons"

As the team grabbed pens, keys, phones, gun, pads Lucy stopped them

"Hum guys I have a link," she said causing the whole team to gather around giving her their undivided attention she continued "It seems that four of the seven victims in the two cases are members of the same fitness class, Melanie, Trinity, James and Brian are all registered members of this class. The fitness centre is located in a complex that Melanie helped the owner win in a divorce case; it's in the DC business complex near 14th street"

Jack looked at Sue and then addressed the team "Guys Sue mentioned something yesterday about Melanie being the key to these cases and with this new information I have a feeling she could be right. Lucy go back into Melanie's history see if you can find anything linking her to the victims and find out who lost their business he or she could be the reason behind this whole case. Bobby, you and Tara go visit Andrew Hills again and show him pictures of the other victims see if he recognises any of them"

"Right Sparky" he called and once again the whole team headed out of the bullpen

Jack and Sue headed out of the bullpen behind Bobby and Tara as they reached the garage Jack noticed the sadness on her face

"**You OK" **he signed

She nodded her head "I'm fine it's just there is something about this case that is not sitting right, I know that it seems Melanie is the key but to unlocking the whole thing but there is something in the back of my mind that makes me feel the answer is more close than we realise"

Jack pulled her into a comforting hug, realising her after a few minutes "Why, what makes you think that"

"Well, you said there was something about the hospital, Tara knew the hairdresser, the park where she was found is five minutes from my apartment, Lucy's dad was a chef, Myles went to Harvard, D is the only one of us who are married, Bobby was born in Australia and moved here, I can just see aspects of our lives relating to the victims"

"Sue, I can see those links to but honestly Honey, I believe they are just coincidences, so far most of the victims seem to link to Melanie, I really think she is key to this whole case"

"You're probably right, Sweetie, maybe I'm just over thinking things wanting to find so I can have the Chinese, wine and chick-flick night that my gorgeous boyfriend promised me" she replied with a wink

Laughing, the two of them headed towards Falkirk School hoping for a break in the case.


	13. Chapter 13

**Next chapter xxx only own those you dont recognise xx thanks for all your support guys and dont forget to review xx this one is three scenes in one go so its a nice loooooong one xx **

Following a short 10 minute drive Bobby and Tara park outside Archie's cafe where the fourteen year old witness Natalie Edwards was sat at an outside table obviously shaken to the core over what she found, she was with an officer Marty Green who both Bobby and Tara recognised; coming over to the agents he gave them a small smile and shock their hands

"Hey Marty, How she doing?" Bobby asked concerned

"She seems to be ok, understandably she is traumatised but she's not hurt or injured in anyway. I believe she just stumbled on the body after the murder, I don't think she is involved anyway but since she is a minor we haven't been able to talk to her we are waiting for her mother to show up, she is a financial advisor in Virginia, she should be here any minute though, then you guys can talk to her if you want"

Nodding her head Tara smiled and said "That would be great thanks Marty, so have forensics found anything interesting at the scene"

"Only a few hairs on the body, they have gone to the lab so who knows, I asked them to forward the results to you or Lucy once they are obtained"

"Ok thanks Marty" Bobby replied "Since we can't interview her yet, I am going to go and talk to Kelly from forensics see if she has found anything else, Tara do me a favour and go see Archie see if he has a CCTV, or if he saw anything"

With that the two agents went their separate ways, returning ten minutes later when Marty indicated that Natalie's mother had arrived.

"Anything?" they both asked together

Tara shook her head "Nothing, Francis and Archie were in the back all morning, didn't even realise anything had happened until their heard Natalie scream, that's when he saw her come running towards the cafe, crying and yelling to call Metro, anything from Kelly"

"Only what Marty had said that they had found hairs on the body, no prints though the guy was obviously wearing gloves. So Shelia shall we go talk to our only witness in yet another perfect murder"

The two walked over to were Natalie was sat being consoled by her very concerned mother

"Um, Mrs Edwards, sorry to interrupt, I am agent Williams this is agent Manning, we are with the FBI, we were wondering if we could talk to Natalie"

Mrs Edwards smiled and looked at Natalie as if to ask was she alright with talking about what happened, she hesitated for a few minutes and Tara crouched down so she was at eye level with her, placing her hand on her arm "Natalie, I know this is a hard time, but I promise you it is only a few questions and we can stop anytime you want and take a break ok."

Natalie nodded her head in agreement and wiped the fresh tears from her face, Tara looked at Bobby and he said "You ask her, she seems to trust you"

Tara got up and sat next on the chair opposite Natalie and her mother, while Bobby stood behind them ready to take notes on what she said

"You ready" Tara asked, earning a nod from Natalie "Natalie can you tell me what happened, take your time, and tell me if you want to stop ok"

"I was walking through the park on my way to school, my house is over there and I was meeting friends near the exit gate, I was early this morning so I wasn't walking fast... I was enjoying the sun, I like walking in the sun... I was coming up by where the trees are near the exit when I saw a shoe... I thought it was a drunken man or woman, but as I came closer. I... I...I..."

"Natalie are you ok do you need a break?"

She shook her head and continued "I... saw her lying there, she was covered in blood and I could see her stomach... She had a big cut on her stomach and a wound on her arm, leg and chest. I was sick, but I couldn't move, I screamed as I saw her, but my legs wouldn't move, once I could I ran towards Archie's yelling for someone to call the police, which he did, I waited here until the police came while Archie made me tea"

"Thank you Natalie, that is really helpful, just a few more ok, did you know the lady? Did you see anyone running away or in the park?"

She shook her head again "No, I don't know who she was but I couldn't see her face tidy cause of the blood and there was no-one else in the park that I could see"

"Thank you Natalie you have been really helpful, there are no more questions, so you can go home if you want to or stay here a while longer until you are ready"

Wiping tears and clinging back to her mother for support she cried "I just want to go home" her mother stood up, Natalie still clinging to her "Come on sweetheart, I'll take you home"

"Mrs Edwards, if Natalie remembers anything else, will you call me" Tara said giving her a card

Mrs Edwards nodded her head and led Natalie to the safety of her car and drove her brave yet traumatised daughter home to safety.

"Good job Tar, I know that must have been hard for you" Bobby said placing an arm around her shoulder, to his surprise she clung to him and let a few tears fall from her face, releasing her grip when she realised what she had done

"Sorry" she said

"It's ok, I know this case is tough for you, I mean she was a friend, I would be more concerned if you hadn't cried"

Satisfied that they had gotten all the information they could at the moment, they headed for the office of Andrew Hills, showing him the photo's of the other victims he concluded that he hadn't seen Melanie with any of them but to check her diary to see if there was any reference, Grace also stated that she hadn't Melanie with any of the victims, together the pair of FBI agent headed back to the bullpen once again without a suspect and feeling extremely frustrated.

Across the city Myles and D had pulled up outside quaint little hairdressers on the opposite end of the park. The decor outside was white and a silver grey, stepping inside they were hit with the typical salon smell of coffee, peroxide and shampoo, there were six individual mirrors along the wall each with its own stool or chair for the clients to sit on placed neatly in front, each station had a table filled with rollers, curlers, brushes, scissors, combs, towels, gel, hairspray, pins, everything a hairdresser would need on a daily basis, the walls were painted in a pale cream with fuchsia pink trims, as they stepped through the door, a woman in her late 30s was sat near a computer sobbing uncontrollably into her hands, D being the more sensitive of the two, walked up to her

"Excuse me Miss..."

"Wendy Jacks, manager"

"Miss Jacks, I'm Agent Gans, FBI, wondering if I could have a word"

Nodding her head she grabbed a few tissues from the pile in front of her and dried her eyes

"About Trinity?" she questioned

"Yes, when was the last time you saw her?"

"Last night she and I went out for a drink after work, we shared a taxi home; I saw her go back into her apartment. I spoke to her on the phone this morning, we were both in the mood for pancakes so agreed to meet in Archie's for a chat and to surf the internet, Trinnie was a complete computer fanatic there wasn't much she didn't know about them, we also surf the net together in our spare time, over breakfast, on our lunch hours whenever we had some spare time we could be found online"

"Do you know of anyone who would want to kill Trinity? Did she have any enemies?"

"No, I was her best friend we spent most of our time together, if someone was angry at her or after her I would know about it we knew all of each other's secrets"

"What about a boyfriend, had she recently gone through a bad breakup?"

"No, her last boyfriend was over two years ago, he moved away to London for his work, he wanted her to go with him but she was never sure about the relationship so stayed here"

"Do you know his name or where he is now?"

"His name was Dylan Abbott; he is now buried in a church somewhere in Montana he died during a complicated surgery on the brain about eight months ago"

"Did Trinity have a diary; there could some useful information in there and a home computer"

Opening a draw Wendy took out a slim hard-backed diary and handed it to the agents

"This is hers, she left it here last night and she didn't own a personal computer that's why we spent so much time in internet cafe's she needed her techno fix somewhere, we had made plans to go and get her a computer this weekend, but now..." she trailed off tears falling down her cheeks. Myles, who surprised D, walked around and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, as he handed her some more tissues.

"Miss Jacks I hate to ask this but I have to, where were you this morning?"

"I was at home, dropped my son off at preschool, just after 8am and made my way towards the cafe when I saw that young girl running from the park screaming, she said that there was a body in the park, when metro arrived I explained that my friend was late and that she would have used the park so I gave them a photo to look at and they said it could be her, they asked me to check and I gave a nod stating yes"

"Do you have a CCTV camera, from the last few days it could be that the killer was watching Trinity, it could help us catch him"

Wendy nods her head and goes through an office door, returning a few minutes later with four discs in her hand, "These are from the last 48hrs, the CCTV runs on 12hr basis so their split into four discs"

"Thank you Miss Jacks" Myles said

The two agents exited the salon, Myles stopping at the door stating he was sorry for the loss of her friend, D unable to hide his curiosity any longer

"What happened to you in there did the peroxide fry your brain giving you some compassion?"

Myles snorted and replied "I know what it is like to lose your best friend, my Harvard roommate and best friend was killed in a car accident in our final year, so I can sympathise with how she is feeling"

"I never knew that, sorry mate"

"Not many people do, only my family, oh and Lucy of course since we did date during the anniversary, she accompanied me to his parent's house they only live a few miles from here, please D keep this quiet, I hate talking about my private life and the past"

"Of course mate, no worries"

With that the two agents got back in their car and headed back towards the bullpen for an afternoon of trailing through CCTV and radio footage.

Jack and Sue had spent nearly 45minutes driving to their destination, a small school outside the city, surrounded by pine trees, the school had a large front foyer area, a large field to the back of it, a small playground at the side and Falkirk Field to the left. The couple exited the car and Sue couldn't help but smile as she inhaled deeply at the scent of the pine trees around her, as she let out a soft moan Jack couldn't help but smile, glancing at she said "I love that pine fresh smell, reminds me of home"

"Really, now what I know to buy you for your birthday, a bottle of pine disinfectant or a pine scented air freshener" he replied with a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eye

Sue didn't respond she just walked around towards him and swatted him on the arm.

"So Miss Thomas ready to find some answers"

Nodding the two of them entered the school main office, showing their badges, they made their way to Poppy Matthews office who they discovered was the headmistress of the school.

"**Good Morning" **she spoke and signed as they entered the room

"You know ASL" Sue asked curiously

"Yes we all do, it's sort of a habit of mine that I speak and sign at the same time whoever I meet, this is a school mainly for deaf children but about 5% of them can hear so we use signs and words to communicate with them, the school runs programmes and activities during the summer to keep the children entertained, that's why a few of us and a few children are here."

"I see, then I fit right in" Sue replied "I'm deaf too, I can sign and read your lips"

"Great, so I'll sign and speak for you during the interview, I know that reading signs is easier than reading lips"

"**Thank you" **Sue Signed

Jack stood watching the two communicate in sign in amazement, he smiled as he watched a sparkle in Sue's eyes that was only visible when she was communicating in sign, which was why he was attending classes and learning as much as he could, Sue glanced at him and giving her a wink, turned to Miss Matthews

"Miss Matthews what can you tell me about Sharon"

"She has been working here for three years; she is currently living with another worker Leanne Small, her classroom is just down the hall if you want to talk to her later, she is currently doing an art workshop with the children and should be in there, one of the other staff members can cover for her while you talk."

Jack nodded in agreement "What about enemies, do you know of anyone who was angry at Sharon"

"No not that I know of, Sharon got on well with everyone here, the children loved her, and she had excellent relationships with all the parents. I cannot imagine why anyone would single her out like this and to kill her in the way she was killed, it makes my stomach turn thinking about it"

"A homeless man discovered her body in the park and has since disappeared do you have any idea who this is? Have you ever seen anyone hanging around the school or in the park?"

"No I've never noticed anyone hanging around there, but as you can see my office is located away from the park, though Leanne's room faces that way, she may have more of an answer for you. As for anyone hanging around the school, no"

"Do you know if Sharon used a diary or computer?"

"She used a diary but again you will have to check with Leanne, she knows more about her life and activities than anyone in the school"

"Do you have a CCTV camera that points towards the park" Sue asked

"Yes, would you like the tapes, though due to confidentiality and child protection you will need to sign for them and I will need them back so they can be destroyed"

"Yes please, and that will not be a problem, we need them for the 48hrs prior to Sharon's murder"

With that Poppy walked over to a small black box in the corner of her office, returning back to her desk with 3 discs and a small clipboard in her hand, as she handed the discs to Sue, Jack signed his name and entered the date on the clipboard.

"Thank you Miss Matthews if there is anything you can think of please let me know" Jack said as he handed both his card and the clipboard back to the woman.

Turning to Sue, the two walked back out of the office and headed down the long white corridor to a selection of small, glass fronted doors, each with a name tag on the front, finding the name Miss L Small on the front of one Jack knocked the door, a few seconds later a short, blonde hair lady answered the door.

"Miss Small?" Sue questioned

"Yes"

"HI I'm Jack Hudson, this is Sue Thomas, we are with the FBI we were wondering if we could ask you some questions about Sharon Timmons"

"Of course let me just ask a colleague to look after my class and then we can go to the canteen and talk, it will be easier"

"Thank you" Sue replied

Miss Small knocked on the door opposite hers and emerged seconds later with a tall man who went into her classroom; she walked towards the canteen with Sue, Jack and Levi following behind her. The smell of the food cooking caused Jack's stomach to rumble and he realised it was very near lunch time, the three of them took a seat at one of the tables as Levi curled in a ball at Sue's feet

"Miss Small, what happened on the day Sharon was killed?"

"She had been out all evening, I have no idea who with, she had been spending a few nights out recently but said that at the moments she couldn't tell me why and hoped I understood, I knew I should have pushed for her to tell me. Anyway when I got up the following morning I went into her room to wake her but her bed was empty, I thought that she had gone for a run or went to walk our dog, she was a proper early bird but I like my sleep. I tried calling her phone but got nothing, it just kept ringing and going to voice mail. I had no choice but to leave for work, we both own cars so I figured that wherever she was she would eventually show up either at work or at home. I arrived at work and saw that the park was surrounded by police cars, I was curious as to what had happened but as many homeless people sleep there under the canopy I figured one of them had an accident or fight during the night so I came inside"

"What happened next?" Sue asked

"I came in and was sat in the staffroom talking to another summer scheme staff member when Miss Matthews called me into her office, as I entered there were two police officers and a detective in there, she asked me to take a seat and the detective, a Rachel Martin, I think her name was, asked me if I knew Sharon and when the last time I saw her was. I explained when that was and she showed me a small wallet and a chain asking me if they belonged to Sharon since her cards and ID were inside, when I nodded yes, they explained that a body had been found in the park and these possessions were found with it. They asked me if I could do a formal identification at the morgue, which I agreed to"

"Thank you Miss Small; What about Sharon's state of mind lately? Did she seem scared, angry or afraid?"

"No, to be honest with you she seemed happier in the last few weeks than I have ever seen her, she was walking around with a huge grin on her face, she was always a happy person but lately she seemed to have an extra spring in her step, though I have no idea why"

"What about a boyfriend/ did she have one or has she recently parted from someone?"

"No she was currently single, she was in a relationship a few years ago with a architect but due to both their work commitments they decided to end their relationship, I know he is still living in the city and got married a few weeks ago, I think he is still on his honeymoon from what Sharon said, him and his bride have gone on a four month cruise, they have remained firm friends."

"Have you noticed anyone watching the two of you? Or have you felt uneasy when out walking lately"

"No, not here or at home"

"Have you ever seen Sharon with any of these people" Jack asked as Sue showed her profile pictures of the other victims"

"Only that one" she said pointing at James' picture

"Sharon knew him?" Jack asked

"Yes, we both did, she was quite taken with him actually, they were close friends, have been for about two years, I always teased her because I was convinced she was in love with him, but then she went out with Louis and I left it alone."

"Thank you" Sue said with a confused look in her eyes

"Do you know if Sharon kept a diary?"

"Yes it is in her desk draw, when we are done I'll go get it"

"Thank you, but for the moment I think that is it, so if you could get the diary that would help" Jack said

Once again the three of them, followed by Levi, exited the canteen and headed back towards a classroom, emerging a few minutes later with a black leather dictionary in hand.

"Miss Small if there is anything else you can think of, please contact me? Jack said as he handed her his card

"I will"

With that the two agents left the school and got back in their car. Jack noticed the confused look still on Sue's face

"Hon what's wrong and don't say it's nothing, when that look on your face tells me different"

"It's... just that we are at a school for deaf children, the victim has a dog, lives with a female roommate, is an early bird, been spending time away from home... Has a roommate who is trying to set her up with a close friend... Remind you of anyone?"

"Ok yes, you, I see your point but honestly baby I think it is just a coincidence, you said it yourself earlier that you are just looking for something because you want to spend a night with your what was the words you used oh yes I believe it was gorgeous boyfriend" he said kissing her cheek and neck after he spoke

"Very funny Mr Hudson" she replied with a breathless stutter as her sense heightened at the feel of his lips and the tip of his tongue on her neck

Turning her head she kissed him with the same passion that all their previous kisses had if not a bit more, they stayed there a few moments with their foreheads touching just gazing into each other's eyes, until Jack's stomach grumbled, making them laugh

"Someone's hungry" Sue said taping his stomach with her hand

"Starving actually what you say about grabbing lunch before we head back to the office"

"**Deal" **she signed back

Jack started the engine and drove off back towards the city, holding Sue's hand the entire drive except for when he changed gears. They pulled into their favourite small cafe which would let them order food for Levi since they knew the owner, they sat at a small booth near the back and ordered a chicken sandwich each, a plate of fries to share and a milkshake each along with a small bowl of meatballs and a bowl of water for Levi, the conversation turned back to Sue trying to get Jack to admit that he liked the film Pretty Woman which he agreed to providing she admitted to liking Die Hard which as she put it was never going to happen. Talk then turned to her birthday which was coming up in a few weeks and how Jack needed to go to the store for some pine scented items for her birthday once again earning him another whack to the arm, but he also agreed that he would take her out to an expensive restaurant for a birthday dinner followed their favourite evening events of a movie curled up on the sofa which Sue agreed would be a perfect way to spend her birthday, finishing their food the couple headed back to the bullpen hoping for a break in the case.

**review review review xx **


	14. Chapter 14

**Here you go guys next chapter xx only own those not in the team xx I know I've made Arlene the nurse but at one point she was so I kept her xx I know she is also nice but hey my fic my rules ;-)**

It was well after 1pm before the entire team were back in the bullpen following their morning of gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses and eliminating suspects.

Lucy who had been busy gathering more details on Melanie Lewis walked up to Jack's desk stating that apart from the fitness class connections with four of the victims she couldn't find anything else and the business owner who lost half of his company was none other than everyone's favourite incarcerated drug smuggler Don Malcolm

"So I think it is safe to say that he is not our killer, I do believe that being in prison gives him a watertight alibi" Myles had to point out in his usual dry, sarcastic manor

The team looked on in frustration at the fact that apart from a radio caller they had no suspects and no answers in a case that was confusing each and every one of them, due to the lack of links between the two sets of victims which they were now convinced was one case not two due to the information they had gathered, and knowing that they had an afternoon of trawling through CCTV footage, listening to radio footage, studying computers and reading diaries, the team split up and headed to different rooms in the building, Tara and Bobby opted to stay in the bullpen since Tara needed her computer to assist going through the victims computers, Myles and D opted for an interrogation room since they had they were the quietest rooms and they need the peace to listen to the radio broadcast and finally Jack and Sue had opted for a conference room. Several hours later Myles had found the caller and with the help of Tara, found a name and an alibi; it turns out that Harry Goldman, the radio caller, had been arrested for the possession on narcotics the morning of the murder and was currently sitting in a jail cell awaiting trial. Myles walked up to his picture and forcefully placed a red X through his face while cursing under his breath.

Bobby and Tara had no luck either, the CCTV footage from the law firm had shown that Melanie Lewis had not been followed home from the cafe and there was nothing interesting in her current case files. The CCTV from the cafe had proved more interesting they had a visual of Melanie being grabbed by a man in a long black coat, black gloves, black ski mask and black boots but with his back to the camera there was no way of trying to discover who he was or if he had said anything to her, all they saw was Melanie's body slump to the ground as he ran off through the walkway, a few hours later Andrew Hill appeared on the screen calling Metro as he discovered the body. Her diary too had proved useless there was no strange appointments only the usual lunch dates, business meetings, dinner plans, court case dates nothing that raised a red flag. Tara had found no strange or unusual activities in her computer only on line orders for groceries and DVDs, case files, appointments, electronic copies of her diary again nothing that raised a red flag

"This really does some to be the world's perfect murder" Bobby said "D tells me you found something interesting in the CCTV from the restaurant"

"Sorry mate, nothing, Lucas wasn't followed and the CCTV from the alley behind the cafe shows Lucas being grabbed from behind by someone..."

"Don't tell me dressed head to toe in black" Tara interrupted, causing D to simply nod his head in agreement

"Well that leaves the dynamic duo of Mr & Mrs Sparky to give us a suspect" Bobby said just as the duo walked through the door.

"Don't tell me you lot found nothing except a person in black" Jack said as he and Sue walked through the door of the bullpen

The whole team nodded in agreement, "What about the diaries or computers anything in there?"

"Nothing that raises a red flag in the computer as for the diaries don't know yet Sue is about to go through them, so we'll have a better idea soon, in the meantime any ideas will be greatly received"

"Sorry Sparky, not a clue looks like we'll have to rely on Mrs Sparky for some answers"

Sue sat at her desk reading Sharon Timmons diary and noticed similar things that were written in her own, deaf events and on almost every day one of the following phrases could be seen 'Lunch with JH, Breakfast with JH, dinner with JH'

Lucy came behind her and tapped her shoulder and teasingly singed 'I thought you were looking at Sharon's diary not your own"

"This is Sharon's, Lucy, what are you on about"

"Oh, sorry I though JH stood for Jack Hudson, so if this is Sharon's who is JH"

"I have no idea but they could be the key"

D, who had been to fill Garrett in on the latest developments, came in and handed Jack an envelope, no address just his name written across the front, Sue moved to him and said

"The letters look the same as those written on the victims"

Sure enough as he studied the photographs and the envelope he couldn't help noticing the similarities in the writing styles of the 'N' and 'D' on both.

"Do you think it's from our killer?" Sue asked, to which he nodded and putting a pair of gloves on opened the letter to find a few photographs of a couple, it was of James and Sharon two of the victims, obviously showing that they were a couple, Jack just looked at the pictures confused as to why the killer had sent them to him, examining the photos closer he looked for a clue as to the sender, turning the photo's over he saw the words 'I know your secret'

"This makes absolutely no sense" he said

"What doesn't" Myles asked

"These photos and their meaning, they are of two of our victims yet they were sent to me and they have the words I know your secret written on the back, why write that if they weren't dead I wouldn't even know them"

Sue shrugged and started reading James' diary, as the rest of the team took turns examining the photograph for something leading to an identification, as she read it she noticed that on the same days as Sharon's were the words Breakfast with ST, Lunch with ST, Dinner with ST.

"Um guys I think it is safe to say that James and Sharon were in a relationship, look at this"

She showed them how the diaries had the same entries in them for the pair, which with the photographic evidence had convinced them

"I thought Miss Small said that Sharon was single, as did Larry Hanson about James"

"They did, but they also said that they had been spending a lot of time away from home, been neglecting their best mate and that she had a spring in her step and seemed happy, maybe she and James were having a secret relationship." Jack said

As he said those words it was if an alarm when off in Sue's head and she kept thinking the same thing over and over again, 'Sharon was deaf, had a dog, roommate trying to set her up, secret relationship with JH, Tara knew the victim but there has to be something else linking her to Tara a similarity, D was the only married one, Lucy's dad was a chef, Bobby moved here from another country, Myles, Myles what's the link...' still thinking she studied the profiles for any clue for Myles convinced that she had the motive for the murders Melanie, graduated Harvard, Harvard, Myles, Harvard, that was the link to Myles, now Jack secret relationship with ST and he knew the hospital, how though?. Still thinking she asked Jack

"Jack do you have a list of the hospitals you have ever been a patient in on your medical files"

Turning his head towards her he asked questionably "I think there is why?"

"Just a thought that I'm having and I need to know if you have ever been a patient in Heart-field hospital"

Jack exited the bullpen and made his way to the nurse's office and asked Arlene to check his medical records.

"Jack, did you say Heart-field hospital" she asked

"Yes, why have I ever been?"

"Technically, No, but you were admitted there"

"How can I be admitted there if I wasn't a patient?"

"Simple, you were shot on a raid when you first joined the Bureau, and Heart-Field was the closest hospital to the location, but you went into shock, slipped into a coma and had to be transferred to DC Medical for emergency surgery and since Heart-field is an emergency and rehab hospital they didn't have the necessary equipment or skills to operate, therefore you were admitted but not technically a patient"

Jack who once again went as pale as he did outside the hospital said "I remember that shooting, a little girl got caught in the cross-fire, she was killed by the man who went on to shoot me, her father blamed me for her death and he punched me in the face, that was what caused my body to shut down and go into shock, now I know why I went so pale outside there yesterday, thanks Arlene, you were a great help"

"Anytime Jack."

Jack exited the medical room and made his way back towards the bullpen, tapping Sue on the shoulder he explained what Arlene had said.

"Thanks" she said and began writing everything down in note formats, leaving out the secret relationship revelation; as she was reading them over and over again Tara had gotten the teams attention including hers thanks to the paw of Levi

"Just had info from forensics the hair found on Trinity Walters, not human it is in fact..."

Sue knowing exactly what she was about to say, the minute she said not human, led her to the link between Tara and Trinity that she needed said

"A cat"

The whole team looked at her as if she had left planet Earth and joined Mars, but Tara simply replied

"Yes, how did you know that, she did own a cat which is why she had cat hairs on her clothing?"

"Because guys, I think I found the motive" as she re-read her notes she saw the link she was looking for "Now all we need is the answer"

The team gathered around the freshly cleaned white board as Sue wrote her findings. The team looked at the board still trying to work out what Sue had found but with no avail

"Miss Thomas as helpful as this little list is, sure there are similarities in lifestyles but that's not what you mean is it, I don't get it" Myles said followed by a chorus of me neither from the other team members

Shaking her head she simply said, "Look at the names of the victims and of us or more importantly the initials and then you'll get it"

As the team looked at the initials of the victims and at the initials of the team they all saw what she saw

"Oh my God" they all said in unison causing Sue to nod her head.

**Please review xx it does me good xx next chapter after the weekend xx unless my kids behave over the weekend, well there is a first for everything xxx **


	15. Chapter 15

**Hi guys next chapter xx i know some of you have worked what the puzzle is but its clarified in this chapter xx **

The whole team stood looking at the whiteboard in shock, the answer to one of their most frustrating cases had been sitting in front of them the whole time but none of them saw it. It was only by recognising herself in one of the victims that Sue had managed to work out the puzzle.

"It's us, their our names" Tara stated "he's killing us one by one"

Bobby who had noticed the similarities in lifestyles but not in the names stated "What do you mean by us? I see a link to our lifestyles but I don't get this name business that you're all raving about"

Jack just shook his head as to how blind his best mate was being "Crash just look at the initials of the victims"

Bobby who suddenly joined the same wavelength as the rest of the team said "Bloody hell, well done Shelia how did you crack that one?" aimed at Sue

"Simple she said, but it was Lucy's comment that started the thinking about how when I was reading Sharon's diary it had entries in there for deaf club events that I too attended in different clubs, plus she had the initials JH in her diary which we know now means James Henderson, the first victim, but Lucy pointed out that JH could stand for..."

"Jack Hudson" the whole team stated together"

"Exactly so I began looking further, that's why I asked Jack if he had ever been a patient in Heart-field hospital which he had so by killing James Henderson he felt he was killing Jack Hudson, Sharon Timmons was a teacher in a deaf school, but thanks to Lucy's digging we found out that she was also deaf in her left ear, but not completely, she has a dog, so by killing her he was killing Sue Thomas, me. Lucas Daniels was a chef, just like Lucy's dad was a chef before he died, he was in a relationship with Melanie Lewis and Lucy was in a relationship with Myles Leyland, so by killing Lucas he was killed Lucy Dotson. Daniel Giles is the only one of the victims who is married, plus he was a clerk at City Savings Bank, Daniels is 'D', he is the only one of us who is married and all his families bank accounts are with City Savings Bank so D was killed through Daniel."

"Right Shelia I get this now, I only have one question my name is Robert Manning but yet the victim for me is Brian McNeal"

"Yes but no-one ever calls you Robert, in fact I remember a conversation where you said that if you ever heard anyone call you Robert except for your mother or father they better hope their wearing their Kevlar vests cause they will need it" Myles added

The whole team just laughed at the fact that for once Bobby had no comeback to Myles blatant observation

"So Brian McNeal moved here from another country when he was little and he was practically raised by his father, Bobby was born in Australia and moved her when he joined the FBI and well due to Mac's fine parenting skills he mother practically raised him. So by killing Brian he was killing Bobby. Our latest victim Trinity Walters, was a computer genius according to her best mate and she had a cat, she was obviously aimed at our own genius Tara who also happens to have a cat and finally we have Melanie Lewis, attended Harvard, was in a relationship with Lucas Daniels, has a strained relationship with her sister, she was obviously killed as a way of killing Myles Leyland, Myles went to Harvard, was in a relationship with Lucy and his relationship with Anne has never been particularly easy. "

"So by killing these victims he was in fact killing us, it is the FBI he wants revenge on, so now we have to find who this guy is and why he wants revenge. Tara, go back over every person we have ever arrested and put away check them all out this guy has to been in the database somewhere" Jack continued

As Tara and Lucy were frantically searching the database for a clue, Myles and Bobby hunted through the notes for their most recent cases and D went to update Ted on Sue's finding Jack was discreetly talking to Sue in the corner

"Sue, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for trying to convince you that the link was nothing to do with the team. I honestly thought Melanie was the key and I'm sorry for not listening, next time you have an idea and I don't listen you have permission to hit me." He added with a wink

"I'm sure that will be something I'll be doing many times in the future, but seriously Jack it's ok, I was actually starting to doubt it myself until, the whole secret relationship between James and Sharon was revealed, then it clicked an alarm went off in my head, but I couldn't exactly tell the team that was the link now could I" she added

"I guess not, but not being able to kiss you here right now is torture so what do you say about telling the after your birthday next week?"

"Ok but, after my birthday, because as much as I love the team, there is only one person I want to spend it with and as my dad will be on holiday I guess you'll have to do" she added with the teasing glint in her eyes and smile on her face that drove Jack nuts.

Jack coughed trying to regain his composure and made his way over to where Tara, Lucy and now Sue were busy searching through the database

"Any joy?" he asked addressing the whole team

"Yes Jack that is why we are all still frantically looking" Myles added in the way only he could

"Um Tara is there any way of narrowing this search down to which agents were involved directly or undercover in the operations" Sue asked

"I can search using the case agents but that's it why?"

Bobby, Myles, D and Ted had all gathered around the girls and Jack at this point curious as to why Sue had asked that question

"Why did you ask that?" Ted asked after getting her attention

"It's just with the victims they were all killed instantly except Melanie Lewis, there was a time where we thought Melanie was the key and I still do only we know that Melanie was actually Myles, so it could be that a case Myles was involved in directly could be the key, it could save some time in the search"

Jack just stood there in wonderment at how the woman he loved with all his heart was gradually figuring this case out

"Tara, search for all the cases that Myles was the case agent" he added

"There are still over a thousand cases" Tara added glumly

"Narrow it down to any cases where the accused have been released from prison or an institution" Ted added

"Down to 100 who have been released from either prison or an institution"

"Can you think of anything that can help us here Myles?" D asked

Myles rubbed his neck and shook his head in the same way he had when he found out his sister's law firm was at the centre of a case

"What about those cases that occurred in the last four years" Sue asked

"Why what are you thinking now?" Bobby asked curiously

"It's just the guy knows I work for the FBI so it could be a case from the past four years"

"Maybe" Ted added "Tara take out those cases solved over 4 years ago"

"Down to 60 cases, taking out all the females leaves us with 40 suspects"

Sue had another idea and began talking "Tara, any of those suspects dead, out of the country or released in the days after the first murder"

Working her magic once again "Down to 15 suspects, nice thinking Sue" she added giving her friend a hi-five

"Tara print those suspects out, Myles go through them with a fine tooth comb and a magnifying glass if need be, see if anything jumps out at you, Bobby help him, see if between you, you can find me a suspect, Lucy, Sue go through the psychiatric and prison reports on those released see if any of them made any noise about getting revenge on Myles or the FBI, Tara work with Bobby and Myles, if either of them get a hunch or an idea check the computer for anything you can find on the guy. D you and I are going to look through the gun registration database see if our guy was nice enough to register for that 9mm Browning Hi-Power handgun he used to shoot the 3 of the victims" Jack said as the team went to their orders.

After searching until 3am the team had managed to eliminate ten more suspects, three of them were in the custody of Metro PD, two had turned their lives around since prison and had the alibi of working a full time job, two of them were in hospital and the final three were found to be in lock down drug and alcohol rehab units thanks to Tara's search and computer skills. They headed back to the sleep room to get some rest hoping that a fresh look in the morning would help. They all walked back in to the bullpen at 7am and stood looking at the last five suspects.

"So we have five suspects left" Sue added

The team nodded

"Any of them on the gun registration database" Ted asked as he joined the team once again, Jack shook his head

"Myles what can you tell us about these guys, anything that will help"

Myles walked over to the pictures holding each one up in turn and giving a brief outline of each case

"Well it's not these two" Lucy added taking away two of the pictures "They were released on the day of the murders but after the murder had occurred so there is no way they could have done it"

"I know who it could be" Myles added as he looked back over the cases, the sleep obviously helping him gaining more perspective and helped him get over the fact that six people had been killed due to him doing his job

"Who?" the whole team asked

"Martin Pollack, was involved in a jewellery robbery about 10 years ago, he and the ring leader got away, but Martin never got his share of the money the ringleader always claiming that he never managed to sell the stash, Bobby managed to find them with the aid of one of his snitches, I went undercover as a potential buyer with Bobby's snitch, got next to Martin pretending to be his friend in the hope of convincing him that I would get more money than anyone else would offer them. Martin agreed that he would bring the leader to us providing he got his cut, but of course selling to an FBI agent meant there was no money at the end of the deal. Martin was furious and kept yelling he was owed that money and that one day he would make me pay for lying to him. I offered him a deal since he did lead us to the ringleader but the DA denied the full immunity and he was given four years in prison, he was released three days before the first murder. He is the only one I can think of who vowed revenge and who was denied something because of me doing my job."

Without even speaking Jack turned to Tara who handed him a piece of paper with Pollack's address written on it. The four male members holstered their guns and headed out of the bullpen, as Tara, Sue and Lucy run the command centre hoping and pleading that their friends, secret loves and boyfriend would come back safe and not end up his latest victim.

**Do you want the team to come back safe then get reviewing xx this one should be finished this week xx **

**and a big thank you to DiamondsR4eva who has been a great supporter of my stories xx it means alot to me xx **

**finally yes the victims are named after the FBI team x **


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi Guys here you go a nice new chapter it is a short one but its basically outlining our serial killer and how this whole revenge on the team came about... **

**There is a very minor episode similarity in this one - it's has a small reference to "Blast From The Past" you'll see it when you read it - it is minor though my other half didn't spot it as he read it... but I'm still acknowledging it**

The team headed out to Pollack's house with the psychiatric analysis of their target going around and around in their heads. Every member could hear Lucy's voice as she informed them of the man they were dealing with

"Martin Pollack, sentenced to four years in prison, was put into isolation 45 minutes after arriving because he made threats to a prisoner with blonde hair, said he reminded him of Myles and that one day Myles would pay for what he did to him... His girlfriend left him when he was sent down, stating that she had had enough of his lifestyle, the constant criminal activities he was involved in, the drug use, the alcoholism, the man she had fallen in love with three years previous was constantly being eaten away by the substances he filled his body with... He sank into a deep depression and even struck a female prison guard with a pool cue because she asked him if he was ok... He began filling his day with constant threats to anyone who reminded him of Myles blaming him for letting his girlfriend leave, even though Myles had nothing to do with that, he became obsessed with Myles, looking through newspapers, the internet anything he could think of if Myles made a headline Pollack was determined to find it, he knew everything about him, knew his friends, family and vowed that the day he was released Myles would finally pay for what he had done to him and anyone else who tried to stop him. After a few weeks a psych exam was called for, he was transferred to the prison psych ward, for not only his own safety but also the safety of those around him... After years of treatment his doctors deemed him fit for release and was released 6 months before the first murder... Since the release there has been no word from him, no financial lines, no job information..."

The team all looked at each when she finished and they knew that they were basically going into the unknown and with a guy as unpredictable as Pollack they knew they had to be careful and be prepared for the unexpected.

The journey to Pollack's address was full of tension, guilt, apprehension and in some cases fear. It wasn't that they were going to chase down a serial killer who so far had killed seven victims, it was more than that it had more to do with the fact that this particular killer had being using these victims to take his revenge on the FBI, and in particular Myles, he was the main reason behind them going for this guy, not knowing if he was in fact who they were looking for. For once during a drive to a raid the car was silent, even Myles was quiet and even though his colleagues were pleased it was also adding to the tension and thoughts going around their own minds. They didn't know what to expect entering his house, there was no reason why he wouldn't want to kill one of them, and after all it was the team he was chasing. Each member had thoughts going through their mind, things they wanted to do and say just encase... Jack's mind kept reverting back to Sue he wanted to see her face, hear her voice, anything... Bobby's mind was thinking of his favourite computer tech agent and that if he escaped the takedown of this madman unharmed he was going to tell Tara how he felt, D twirled his wedding ring around his finger thinking of Donna and Myles had decided that from now on he was going to try and be nice and not so snappish, he was also going to give Lucy a small bunch of flowers from his garden to apologise for his ways the last few weeks, he had been tense due to the endless paperwork, the Mason case had been tough and he seemed to have aimed all his frustrations and jibes at her.

Pulling outside the door, the small apartment was in darkness, only adding to the tension, the smell of alcohol and cigarettes could be sensed coming through the open window, but apart from that there was just silence and darkness. Tara has discovered that there were two entrances to the small apartment, the main door and a side door. Jack and Bobby were to take their team through the side where as Myles and D would take theirs through the front.

"Everyone be ready for Tara's signal" Jack said "and take it slow, we know this guy has at least one 9mm gun and two knives that will do serious damage, keep your eyes open and your head smart, don't try and take him down yourself."

Everyone agreed with Jack and they all stood patiently and calmly waiting for Tara's signal

"Go in 3, 2, 1 ... GO"

As she finished the team smashed the two doors in yelling FBI FREEZE... Tara listened all she could hear was shouting, yelling before the words "Myles! D! lookout..." could be heard in the Australian's voice followed by a single gunshot...

**OK I'm sorry for leaving it there... I know you will all want to kill me leaving you all hanging about who gets shot but I promise tomorrow I will put you out of your misery and tell you xxx**

**and don't forget to review xx **


	17. Chapter 17

**Just a little chapter to tease you a bit more on who gets shot xx but don't worry the answer is coming in the next chapter which will be up very shortly I just have to check through it xxx **

Martin Pollack sat alone in his small apartment oblivious to the noises around him. All he could focus on was that in just a few hours his plan would be complete, he would have killed each and every one of them especially Myles, and this made him smile more, the thought that he had killed Myles. He had become so obsessed with revenge that to him he wasn't killing innocent members of the public anymore he was killing Myles and his team, when this occurred no-one would ever know, especially him. He knew what was going to happen next he was going to killing Teddy Bear, the team supervisor, the man who had initiated the investigation and he was the one who had given the direct orders for Myles to go undercover in the first place so naturally he had to be killed. He sat there for a few more moments in complete silence and darkness, even though it was mid morning outside the thick black curtains hanging in every window drained any natural light seeping through, it was in this darkness that Pollack did his best planning, resting his head back on the dirty grey sofa for a few minutes he went over and over his plan, Thomas George was a manager of a fitness club, he was married with two teenage daughter, but to Pollack he was Ted Garratt, member of the fitness club, married with two daughters and the last piece of the puzzle he had given the FBI agents in DC to solve.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts he never heard the sound of a team of FBI agents surrounding his home. He stood, removing one of the curtains to let a little light in and made his way towards his bed where the black outfit lay ready to be worn on his next 'mission', gun in hand, he never moved around his home without it, only he would never arrive

"FBI FREEZEE!" those were the words he heard as his doors were smashed in, he had no idea where the noises came from, all he could focus on as he turned was MYLES LEYLAND standing in front of him, bold as brass, but how he was dead, he had killed him, along with the man standing next to him, figuring all this was a dream he did the only thing he could, he grabbed his knife and lunged at him.

"MYLES! D! Lookout"

And then bang! The sound of a gunshot, as the shot went off he looked at Myles and smiled at the blood seeping from his wound.

**Please review x **


	18. Chapter 18

**I told you it wouldn't be long xx here is the answer to who got shot xx **

The colour drained from Tara's face quickly as she heard the voice... Lucy and Sue looked at her, they knew something bad had happened, but had no idea what

"Someone's down, I don't know who, but it could be Myles or D, Bobby said for them to look out and then a gunshot" she said placing her hand over her mike while listening for a voice.

"Tara, we need an ambulance" Jack's voice came over the mike

"OK Jack, Lucy they need an ambulance... Jack who has been hit... " she asked not really knowing if she wanted to know the answer

"Pollack" he replied "He saw Myles and D as he stood up and lunged at them with the hunting knife in his hand, Bobby warned them and D got the shot in, he hit his left shoulder and he went down but not before he managed to slice Myles' leg I don't think the knife wound is too serious but there is a lot of blood. Pollack's been cuffed but he will need treatment and Myles will probably need a stitch or two."

"I will not, it's fine, it is just a small wound nothing major."

"Myles if you do not seek treatment for that wound I will finish the job myself" Lucy said her voice full of concern and a tone that Myles knew she was serious "Ambulance is on its way Jack" she continued "Is everyone else ok?"

"Yes Luce we're all fine, no other injuries or casualties. We'll see you all soon"

Tara and Lucy breathed a sigh of relief that the team was safe, even as did Sue after they had filled her in. Lucy went to talk to Ted about what had happened, as Sue and Tara sat nervously waiting for the team to return, not able to relax until they saw them all and in particular Jack and Bobby walk through the door, not really able to concentrate or wanting to talk they sat in silence.

The ambulance arrived at within 10 minutes, taking Pollack to the high security ward, two agents were to guard him at all times. As they waited the team gathered up all the evidence they could find ready to send to the lab, the one knife was in Pollack's hand, the other was found with blood on it sat on top of a cabinet, the gun was lying next to Pollack, he had dropped it as D's shot hit, luckily for Myles and D the safety had been on so when he fired nothing happened and on the bed Jack had found a long dark coat, black ski mask and black gloves. Once the evidence was gathered and logged Myles was taken to casualty for three stitches and a dressing on his leg, D tagging along to keep him company, while Jack and Bobby drove back to the bullpen in silence, since they knew Pollack would be in surgery for at least two hours there was no point going straight to the hospital to sit there doing nothing, Mick Flare another agent was going to inform them when he was out of surgery and given the all clear to be interrogated.

"Sparky you ok?" Bobby asked seeing how completely out of it his best mate was

"Yeah Crash, sorry I was thinking"

"Thinking! Now there's a first, don't you normally have someone else do that for you?" he replied with a laugh, causing much of the tension to be lifted

"Normally yes! But I was just thinking how bad that takedown could have gone. I mean if you hadn't seen that guy move who knows what would have happened, it could have ended badly and it has made me realise something"

"What"

"Something I was thinking about doing in a few weeks anyway, but instead I'm going to do it next week"

"Sparky, Mate you are talking in riddles and not making much sense. But I too have decided to do something."

"Now who's the one talking in riddles, but where you're concerned that is nothing abnormal" Jack said

"So what exactly are you going to do next week?" Bobby questioned as he pulled the car in to the FBI garage

"Now that my friend would be telling" Jack added with a friendly slap to his best mates arm

Entering the bullpen Bobby was still trying to get Jack to confess but with no avail. Bobby giving up after the fifth attempt was greeted by Tara who had the urge to give him a congratulatory hug on a job well done and in her mind she needed to make sure he really was unharmed, Sue also having to make sure Jack was ok gave him a hug but so as not to look suspecious she also hugged Bobby but that didn't stop Tara, Bobby and Lucy whistling and chanting as she hugged Jack.

The rest of the afternoon was spent going over evidence, waiting for DNA results from the knives, which had confirmed that they were the knives used in the murders the lab had managed to lift DNA from all the victims, the bullets matched those found in the three shooting victims, the team had no doubts that Pollack was the killer that had been terrorising DC the last few days, finally with all the evidence and information they had they began filling in their reports there wasn't much else they could do until Pollack was out of surgery. Myles and D had rejoined the team just over an hour later, Myles had a few stitches and would need to use a cane for a few days but considering he had a knife and a gun he was lucky and insured the team that he was going to live. Garratt had informed the team that Jack and Bobby were to question Pollack and gave strict instructions that Myles was not allowed anywhere near this madman, causing shock around the team Myles agreed with no arguments before going back to his report

"What?" he asked as the team all stood staring at him

"It is just you agreed so quickly we were all expecting some sort of argument from you" Bobby answered

"I was lucky today, if you had not have seen the gun and knife who knows what would have happened, so if you think I'm going to give him the opportunity for a second chance, I have one thing to say"

"What?" Bobby questioned

"Dream on Koala Boy." Myles added causing all the team to let out a little laugh

**Please review x xx**

**I have a question for you loyal readers I have two ways I can end this one is that the case ends and the team get back to work, much like they do in the episodes or I write a few more chapters where Jack and Sue celebrate her birthday and one of the team spots her present when they come back to work the following day and the "I know your secret" from the photos makes them realise that Jack and Sue have been in their relationship and kept them all in the dark, it will be purely fluffy **

**so which ending do you want xx either let me know in the reviews or send me a message x x the most popular wins xx **


	19. Chapter 19

**Here you go a new chapter x warning though its not the birthday chapter its the end of the case chapter xx ready for the birthday chapter xx **

Around 4pm, the hospital called informing them that Pollack was out of surgery and fit to be questioned. The two agents spoke to the doctor who informed them that Pollack was still convinced that he had killed the FBI agents who had arrested and shot him and that he was in fact sat at home waiting for 5 o'clock to arrive. Walking through the room Pollack was sat hand-cuffed to the bed with a sly smirk on his face as he saw the two agents approach.

"Why so smug?" Bobby asked

"Simple, you are not real. You are dead."

"Oh I can assure you that we are both real, Pollack" Jack added

"Yeah right, that's what that quack said, he said that that idiotic Myles was alive, but I know different, I know I killed him, just like I killed you two and that woman he loved and that deaf woman and that geeky computer bitch who tried to struggle but I got the better of her. Myles oh how he pleaded. Please no! He cried please don't kill me! But you see I had too. He DESTROYED MY LIFE! I had to destroy his well not so much destroy more like end"

"So you really believe that you killed us all?"

"I JUST SAID I DID, DIDN'T I OR ARE YOU AS DUMB AS THAT STUPID DOCTOR"

"So who are these then?" Jack asked showing him the pictures of the victims

"They are you, there you are" he said picking up James' picture "There's Mr Oz" he added pointing at Brian

"What about her, who is she?" Bobby asked pointing at Melanie, trying to make him realise

"Well Mr Oz, surely you recognise your co-worker MYLES after all it was you that led him to me"

"That would actually be Melanie Lewis, A lawyer and a female" Jack added "Where as Myles is a male FBI agent"

"NO ITS MYLES! REVENGE WAS MINE I KILLED YOU ALL"

"So who did you attack at your house?"

"I attacked no-one"

"Then how did you get shot?"

"I never got shot, this is my house"

"What is going to happen at 5o'clock?" Bobby asked as he recalled what the doctor had said

"Yes, you see there is still one member of team who is still very much alive. The big old guy, Teddy Bear or something like that anyways, not by five o'clock though, then he too will be lying on the ground, bullet through the heart and eight lovely stab wounds one of them much bigger than the rest"

"So why did you kill Myles, what did he do?"

"He destroyed my life, my girlfriend left because of him, all I wanted was to get my money and Myles said he would help, but no he had to lie! He tricked me became my friend and what happens I deliver my accomplice to him and I get sent to prison with him claiming that there was nothing he could do to stop it. He is nothing but a lying piece of trash so I decided to make him and his so called team pay"

"Why kill them all though? Why not just kill Myles?"

"Because they all represented what I lost. NO! What he took and they were his friends. You see Leader, he was in love, well so was I, Deaf Girl, I never even met Deaf Girl he protected from me from her and she was grateful that he had even though he never even liked her, Lover girl he loved but he destroyed her life as well when he cheated on her, Mr Oz he helped him, Dark Guy he was married and I wanted to be to my girlfriend but what happens here he comes destroying it, Techno Girl helped him in the investigation and Teddy Bear is the boss so he gives the order not anymore at five o'clock I'll be the one giving orders not him"

Bobby and Jack sat there listening to this guy who was obviously delusional and convinced that he had indeed killed the whole team, but also trying to keep their calm as he gave the ladies in their lives the names he had, Jack especially, as he heard what he called Sue.

"If you want to keep believing you killed them, you feel free, but I can assure you that they are all, Myles included, still alive, you killed seven innocent people, people who were just living their lives, minding their own business until you came along and destroyed it all and believe you me, there is no way out for you this time you are looking at either life or the death penalty." Bobby said leaning over him

"Don't give a shit, knowing that Myles is dead made this whole little game worth it. I killed them all and I'll do it again, once you get the HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE" he spat back

"I very much doubt that" Jack added

Pollack, tried to get up but with the handcuffs he remained where he was

"What have you done to me?" he spat "What did you do? Let me out. You can't keep me here I should have been released from this prison by now I served my time, I need to get my revenge on Myles, Myles has to pay I had it all planned out"

Jack and Bobby stood watching as he struggled to move with no recollection of what he had done, showing no guilt only the determination to do it all over again, the two breathed a sigh of relief as they exited the room knowing that that was never going to happen. The two made their way back to their car and back to the bullpen

"We can confirm the guy is a wacko" Bobby said as the team gathered around the pair.

"He is still convinced he killed us all and that he is now still sat in him home waiting for 5o'clock to arrive" Jack added

"What was so special about 5 o'clock?" Sue questioned

"He was going to kill another victim, someone he thought was you" Bobby added pointing at Ted

"Me? Why?" he questioned

'You gave the order to Myles to catch him and go undercover so he thinks that without you we would have never gone looking for him" Jack added

"Bobby you were right this guy is a wacko" Lucy added "Do we have an idea who the target was"

"Yes, there were two sets of pictures on a wall in his house, one set had has, the other had the victims and thanks to my facial recognition programme we have a name and a few details" Tara added "His name was Thomas George, he was a manager at Fitness4U, fitness centre, married with two teenage daughters"

"Just like me, I'm married and have two young daughters, plus I'm a member of Fitness4U" Ted added as the whole team nodded. "Great Job everyone, especially you Miss Thomas who knows what would have happened if you hadn't cracked it. Now I suggest you all get out of here and take the weekend off" he turned to leave "Once your reports are on my desk of course" he added with a wink and a small smile.

**don't forget to review xx **


	20. Chapter 20

**Because I want to show you all that I'm nicer that my 5 year old thinks I am (those of you with kids will understand that comment) I have decided to give you a small taste of whats to come with the birthday chapters there will be about 5 or 6 altogether depending on how it plays out **

**they will be friday afternoon this one, friday night - the girls night, saturday the team party - saturday night jack's birthday surprise a small sunday chapter and Monday where the truth will come out xx so they will take a while xx after this one the last few will be up in one go xx **

The team spent the rest of the week filling in reports for the Pollack case and catching up on any other missed paperwork they had left over from their other cases. The mood in the bull pen was relaxed each member of the team realising that they could have quite easily have been Pollack's next victim at one point during the last few days. Myles had especially been affected, true to his word he was not as snippy, kept his sarcastic comments to a minimum and was even being nice to Lucy, something she was still trying get used to. The morning after Pollack's arrest he arrived in the bull with a huge bunch of flowers, resulting in whistles and cackles from the rest of the team. Myles not paying any attention to them, walked over to Lucy's desk and placed the flowers in the vase she kept on the filing cabinet behind her

"What are these for" Lucy asked puzzled

"To say sorry for the way I have behaved the last few weeks, with the drug bust in the Mason case and the lack of both evidence and suspects in the serial killer case I have been less than gentlemanly and took all my frustrations out on you and for that I am truly sorry, please accept these flowers I handpicked especially for you from my own garden as an apology" He replied

"Thank you Myles, they are beautiful and after that speech how can I not accept, but do it again and I will hurt you, count yourself lucky that I haven't already" she added with a small smile and a wink.

Myles just laughed off the last comment and returned back to his desk missing the fact that Lucy had inhaled the scent of the flowers with a dreamy look in her eyes, a look that not only Sue but also Tara had spotted, the pair looked at each other with that 'someone is in love' look between them and began formulating a plan to get Miss Matchmaker her own match. The relationship between Myles and Lucy wasn't the only one that seemed to be blossoming before their eyes, ever since the takedown of Pollack, Bobby had turned his flirting and teasing towards Tara up a notch, most mornings he would show up with a Latte and a blueberry muffin for her claiming 'he owed her one from the day before' something that none of the team bought, they knew what was really happening Crash was in love and he had it bad, whatever case or work they were doing he would make an excuse to sit near Tara's desk claiming that there were computer files he would need looking at and rather than disturbing the rest of the team he would sit by Tara or she could sit near him that way it made more sense, something again none of the team were buying. Jack and Sue personally were loving the changes in the teams relationships because for once the heat was taken off them, something Jack in particular was pleased about because it gave him the chance to plan Sue's birthday surprise which was coming up that weekend. Together the two had come up with a way that Sue could celebrate with the team and she and Jack could also have the evening alone, Sue had even managed to convince her dad to help, which not only worked as a way for her to spend the night with Jack but also as a way for her and Tara to set up their plan for Lucy and Myles.

By the time the Friday came Sue was getting more and more excited, the week had gone so slowly in the bullpen, there were a few small cases nothing major but on the plus side she had managed to catch up on her backlog of paperwork all she had left was to check over her evidence reports on Monday morning ready for Pollack's case that afternoon, meaning that she could just relax and enjoy her birthday tomorrow, she had decided, much to Jack's disappointment, that she would spend the evening before her birthday having a slumber party with Amanda, Lucy and Tara, since he was going to have her all to himself the following night which pretty much killed the disappointment he was feeling about not seeing her that night. Most of Friday was spent talking to Jack via her messenger account trying to convince him to tell her where he was taking her the following night, something she was still trying to do as he pulled his car outside her apartment, he was determined to give her a lift home instead of Lucy because he needed to discuss a case file with her so it was easier to drive her home and discuss it rather than keep them both in the office a while longer. A plan that Lucy was happy to oblige to secretly hoping that since it was nearly her birthday Jack might finally confess and tell her he loved her.

"Oh Come On Baby please tell me" she asked again giving her best pout and puppy dog eyes

Jack shock his head slowly hoping that he didn't spill everything right there "No, it's a surprise, you'll have to be patient" he said taping her nose as he spoke

"Please" she begged once more "If you tell me I promise I'll still act surprised"

"Nice try Baby, I have to give you credit for that one, but no"

"Fine" she said sulking, secretly hoping that would convince him to spill it, but once again he held his nerve and said nothing "Just give me one small clue so I know what to wear"

"I personally, would be happiest if you wore nothing" he said with a mischievous glint, that not only caused Sue cheeks to turn the cutest shade of pink he had ever seen but also a whack to his arm

"Jack!" she said trying to lower her temperature

Jack couldn't help smiling at the look of embarrassment on her face as he continued "All I am going to say is that you have to get dressed up and that you have to leave your hair down, it's in the dress code"

"A dress-code that states you have to have your hair down, never seen that before, but if that is what it says then I suppose I'll have to comply"

"Great" he said glad that he had been victorious in convincing her to leave her hair down, not that she was going to put it up anyway, she knew how much her hair being down drove him crazy with passion. "I suppose I'd better let you go to your girly night"

"Yeah, but not before this" she said as she grabbed his jacket pulling him closer to her, capturing his lips with her own she kissed him with all the passion she had in her, she wanted to make sure the kiss would be so memorable it would make leaving him tonight and going through the day tomorrow without being able to kiss him or hold him just that little bit more bearable.

"W...O...W" the two of the said breathlessly when they parted, not wanting to break contact the two of them sat in the car foreheads touching just gazing into each other's eyes, or least they were until the vibration of Sue's blackberry caused them both to jump slightly, flipping it open she read the message from Lucy:

"**Sue where are you, I thought you were heading out right behind me that was nearly half an hour ago, Amanda and Tara are here, the ice-cream is in the freezer, the chocolate fondue is melting, the marshmallows and strawberries are set out, the pizza is ordered all we are missing is you, so shift your butt"**

"I really need to go, babe, Lucy is getting impatient"

"No, stay here, let's go back to my place, order a Chinese, get the wine in and curl up on the sofa and stay there till Monday"

"Jack I can't the girls have organised this night especially for me, I have to go"

"I'll tell you your birthday surprise if you stay" Jack said hoping that would change her mind

Sue thought for a moment and very nearly agreed right there, but the look she pictured on Amanda's face if she didn't show up was enough to say "I really can't babe, but feel free to tell me anyway"

"Nope, no hiding out in my apartment for the weekend, no confessions" he said

With that Sue laughed and got out of the car, as Jack grabbed her arm

"You know I love you right"

"I do, and I love you too more than I ever thought it was possible to love someone." She replied leaning back to give him another kiss to his cheek

"As long as you know that, I guess I should let you go to your girly night, I'll see you in the morning for your birthday breakfast with the team, and I will be calling to wish a happy birthday at midnight, I want to be the first person to say it"

"Ok babe, I'll convince the girls that it is not officially my birthday until 12.30am, since that was the time I was born, that way you will be the first."

Jack smiled as he watched Sue get out of the car, grab Levi from the back and make her way towards the door but not before she signed I Love You to him one last time before entering. Climbing the two flights of stairs to her apartment she was still trying to figure out what Jack had in store for her, she knew he would probably take her to a restaurant for dinner but which one, mentally discarding most of the restaurants they visited due to the fact that she had to dress up she was left with one option Georgio's, their favourite Italian restaurant, either there or a place that was new to her, before she arrived at her door she checked her reflection for any sign of ruffled hair, crumpled top, anything that would give the girls ammunition to tease her about what had taken her so long, looking at her mirror she noticed how smudged her lip gloss was, she wiped away the smudge and reapplied but only slightly so that it looked as though it had worn away during the day as she slightly licked her lips removing more of the excess gloss she entered the apartment smiling at the fact that she could still taste Jack's lips on hers.

**Please review xx you know you want to xx**


	21. Chapter 21

Sue walked into her apartment and was instantly hit by the sweet smell of melting chocolate coming from the fondue set on the dining table. Tara, Lucy and Amanda were all sat around in their PJs next to the fondue pot dipping marshmallows and strawberries in the chocolate trying their hardest not to get more chocolate over themselves than on their treats.

"Sorry guys, I took Levi for a quick walk around the park before coming home and I thought you were waiting for me before starting, there had better be a strawberry there for me" Sue said noticing the empty carton on the table

"Well if you had came straight home, you could have had one, but yes there are more left, Lucy bought a field full, there are at least another five tubs in the fridge" Tara explained as Sue signed for Amanda's benefit

"So what movie are we watching? Sue asked speaking and signing before taking a strawberry from the fresh carton and dipping it into the melted chocolate

"Never mind the movie Miss Thomas; what did Jack want that was so urgent it couldn't wait until Monday?" Lucy asked secretly hoping that Sue was going to say the words she wanted

Swallowing her strawberry she added "It was nothing really Luce, he wanted me to check a few details in his report from the school interview, nothing major."

"Oh ok and that couldn't have waited until Monday, our Mr Hudson is getting efficient in his old age" Lucy added not in the least bit convinced by her story, since the team had their discussion in the sleep room she was convinced that, no matter how much she hated to admit it, Myles was right.

"I think he just wants this case closed as soon as, it has taken its toll on the whole team, plus the hospital where James was killed bought up a painful memory from a long time ago, but now he's talked about he seems fine"

"Ah Miss Thomas the ever caring partner" Tara said "So what movie? I for one would like to watch Hackers" to which the three other girls simply rolled their eyes laughing

"No, no films about computers" Sue spoke and signed "We need a good girly film, Amanda why don't you choose" signing again to Amanda

Amanda made her way over to the vast DVD collection that Sue and Lucy held, while Sue went to change into her favourite PJ bottoms and her favourite hockey jersey, returning after a few moments to find Amanda had chosen a DVD that she thought was perfect

"How about this one?" she signed to Sue as she held up the box

"Perfect" she signed back "Lucy, Tara what do you say to Beaches"

"Oh I love that movie" the girls answered together

"Yeah it has all a girl wants, love, romance, comedy, friendship and not forgetting the tragedy at the end and that song Wind Beneath My Wings, gets me every-time" Tara added

"It's settled then Beaches it is" Lucy added

The girls made their way towards the living room, Sue was going to sit on one end of the couch with her feet up on the middle seat, Lucy was the other end sat in the same way, Amanda was on the chair and Tara took her usual seat of the floor in front of the middle seat claiming she always watched movies this way ever since she was little, finally Levi had perched himself firmly on the small footstool in front of the window and was quite happily sleeping.

They had moved the fondue pot, marshmallows, strawberries, popcorn, and a glass of wine for Tara, Lucy and Sue, soda for Amanda and finally the pepperoni pizza to the coffee table where it was in easy reach of them all. Sue put in the movie, sat on the sofa, set the captions and was about to press play when Lucy tapped her arm

"Hang on a second we have forgotten something we are definitely going to need by the time this movie is over", with that she got of the sofa, went to her bedroom and came back with the box of tissues from her nightstand "No matter how many times I watch this movie it gets me every time, the minute those waves hit the rocks, the tears flow"

"Good thinking Luce" the girls agreed in both words and signs

Sue pressed the play button and the four friends settled into the movie, laughing, sighing, dreaming, eating, drinking and having one of the best nights of their lives. They were quiet all through the movie, no words were spoken and the only noises were the sound of pizza being taken from a box, wine or soda being poured, strawberries being sucked of their chocolate or marshmallow bags being opened.

By the time the movie had finished and Hilary had died from her illness the four girls were surrounded by tissues from crying so much, chocolate drips were over the table, the pizza box was empty and despite the sadness were all having the time of their lives just hanging out together in a way they had not done for a while.

"OOOO it's only 10 minutes till Miss Thomas turns another year older" Tara exclaimed excitedly

"Actually its 30 minutes, since I wasn't born until 12.20am, so in tradition my birthday doesn't officially start until then"

"Aww that's not fair, I wanted to say happy birthday at exactly midnight" Lucy added

"Me too" Amanda added in sign

"Sorry ladies, but its tradition" She replied hoping that she was at least sounding convincing even if she didn't quite believe she was.

"Ok we'll wait" Lucy added defeated and with a slight puzzled look on her

"Yeah we'll wait, cannot argue with tradition" Tara added smiling

Sue breathed a sigh of relief and sat trying to come up with a reason why she had to go into the bedroom ready for Jack's call. Shower... no; change clothes no, darn already done that knew I should have waited; get my blackberry, no its on the table, there has to be a reason, looking at her blackberry once again she came up with the perfect excuse, waiting a few more minutes until the clock was one minute to midnight she got up

"And where are you sneaking off to" Lucy asked, giving her leg a light tap with her own

"Just to the bedroom, my blackberry has been playing up today, so I'm hoping a good recharge will help"

"Really, seemed fine earlier when you where messaging someone"

Sue coughed, she had hoped no-one had caught her and Jack messaging each other all afternoon in the office

"I wasn't messaging I was checking trying to get it to work properly" Sue added trying to stem the blush and sound convincing "Anyway I'm surprised you noticed the way you were dreamily looking at those flowers Myles gave you"

"I...I...I wasn't dream I was um... thinking"

"About Myles!" Tara added

"No! And you're a bright one to talk you have been staring at Bobby all day. I've never seen you so interested in what he has to say and as for that we need to sit together line to work on a case, you're not fooling any of us."

Tara not knowing what to say did the only thing she could, she threw a pillow at her, resulting in the three girls having a pillow fight while Sue disappeared into the bedroom just in time, the second she closed the door her blackberry began vibrating indicating a call, lying in the bed she answered the call reading the words as he spoke

ST: "Hello"

"Hey Gorgeous,"

ST: "Right on time, makes a change for you"

"Very funny, besides when I get a chance to talk to the most beautiful woman in the world I'll always be on time"

Sue couldn't help but smile and blush at this remark

"So how is girl's night?"

ST: "Great, we've drunk wine apart from Amanda of course she was on the soda, ate too much chocolate and pizza and watched a movie that had us all reaching for the tissues."

"So not missing me then?"

ST: "No, Not really, well maybe just a little bit"

"Only a little bit, well maybe I'll just have to cancel the surprise tomorrow"

ST; "No I do miss you, a lot actually, especially while watching the movie, all I wanted was for you to hold me as I cried"

"Baby what movie were you watching? I miss you too, so why don't you sneak out and we can go back to my plan of curling on the sofa until Monday"

ST: "We watched Beaches, it's really sad it is about the friendship between two girls who meet one day on a beach, it goes through their lives and in the end one of them dies from a heart problem it is a beautiful movie."

"Aw honey it sounds like a beautiful film, maybe we should watch it together and then I could hold you as you cry"

ST: You want to watch Beaches?" A chick flick I might add"

"I do anything is better than Pretty Woman or Notting Hill for the fifth time"

ST: "I'm going to hold you to that Mr Hudson"

"I'm sure I can think of a few ways to make you forget, so are you going to sneak out?"

ST: "no, do you want to deal with Lucy if I suddenly disappear?"

"Good point baby, well how about I meet you in the park before your birthday breakfast"

ST: "Definitely, I can use walking Levi as an excuse to leave early"

"It's a date"

ST: "It's a date, and speaking of dates are you going to tell me where we are going tomorrow night for my birthday, though I think I already know"

"Oh really, come on then smarty pants where?"

ST: "Georgio's because that was the only restaurant I could think of where we have to dress up"

"Good guess, but sadly you are wrong. I am taking you somewhere you and I have never been before, somewhere special because a woman as wonderful as you needs to be spoilt rotten on her birthday and I intend to start with dinner"

ST: "Now you really have to tell me honey, the suspense and not knowing is driving me crazy, but I hope it's not too expensive"

"Believe you me baby you're worth every penny and more much more."

ST: "You really are a charmer tonight"

"Can I help it if I miss the woman of my dreams?"

ST: "Well you only have 7 hours until you can see her"

"I have less than that; I'll see her the second I close my eyes, in the place where she has always been"

ST: "Well I'd better go, the girls will be wondering where I am, I told them I was going to try and see if charging my blackberry would stop it playing up"

"Good excuse, are you sure they didn't catch on?"

ST; "I hope so though Lucy did mention that she saw me messaging someone, that someone being you, but I convinced her that I wasn't messaging I was playing trying to get it to work, besides once I mentioned the fact that she was too busy dreaming about Myles she soon shut up"

"Ha ha, yeah I've noticed she's been a little taken with him the last few days, ever since he bought those flowers in for her"

ST: "I know I think she may kind of like him again, the bear he bought her when they were dating has made a reappearance on her bed, until last week he was in a box in her closet"

"Maybe you and I should play matchmaker to our favourite matchmaker"

ST: "No need Honey, Tara and I are taking care of that one, we have arranged it so that Myles is coming here for dinner tomorrow night supposedly with Tara and Bobby but of course they are not going to show up, or at least they want when Tara calls and tells Lucy"

"Very resourceful Miss Thomas I must admit"

ST: "Besides this plan will also work for the other couple in the office"

"Crash and Tara"

ST: "Exactly, I don't know about you but I'm not buying that whole needing to sit by each other for their case excuse"

"Me neither or the owing Tara coffee and a muffin, I know that one, I invented that one, I buy you coffee and a muffin every morning because of the same reason Crash does."

ST: "What's that?"

"Love, I love you, he loves Tara"

Sue glanced at her watch and noticed that it was only 2 minutes until 12.20am and knowing that the girls could barge down her door at any minute

ST: "Honey I'm going to have to go, I told the girls they could say happy birthday at 12.20am and I have this feeling they are going to barge through the door any minute"

Ok, sleep well baby, I love you"

ST: "I love you too Jack"

"By the way baby, Happy Birthday, see you in the morning"

ST: "You will, and I was wondering when you were going to finally get round to saying it"

"Can I help it if the sound of your voice sets me off track; Love you baby goodnight!"

ST: "Love you too honey, Goodnight"

Sue exited the call, placed her blackberry on the charge and walked out of her bedroom, wearing a smile so big she thought her cheeks would crack, so was so caught up in her daydream she walked straight into Lucy coming from the living room

"Luce, sorry didn't see you there"

"I gathered that, what in the world has made you smile like that"

Putting her arm around her friends shoulder as they walked into the room she simply said

"It's officially my birthday I'm allowed to be happy, I have the three best friends a girl could want, a job I love and more importantly presents"

The two of them entered the living room laughing at her last comment and once they had explained what they were laughing at the four of them burst into an infectious laugh that only four best friends could share.

Once they had finally finished laughing, Tara, Lucy and Amanda stood in a line and proceeded to sign the Happy Birthday song in time with each other even Tara, causing Sue to well-up at the gesture

"Thank you, that was beautiful, but how did you manage to do it together" she asked tears in her eyes

"We've been practicing every chance we get, all those times you were at deaf club or out with friends we were practising" Lucy said signing and speaking

"I taught them" Amanda added signing

"Well thank you, when you can read lips not many people learn how to sign Happy Birthday, only two people outside my family have ever done that, Jack and my best friend Judy, so it really means a lot that you all did that"

"We should have learnt it years ago" Tara added "I don't know about you lot but I'm shattered"

Which all three girls agreed to

"Time for bed, It is 12.30am and we have to meet the team at 9am, for the birthday girl's breakfast" Lucy added

Again earning nods from the other three, the girls gave each other a hug and headed for their beds or hide-a-way bed in the case of Tara and Amanda, luckily Sue and Lucy had recently bought a chair that also extended into a bed which meant that sleepovers were easier, more comfortable and could occur more often.

Sue who was in her room gave a goodnight kiss to Jack's picture that was hidden in her diary, Lucy hugged the bear Myles had given her when they were dating and Tara changed into her Australia night shirt. All four girls slept soundly that night, three of them dreaming of the man that held their hearts.

**I do not own Beaches the movie or the storyline from the movie, if you haven't seen it I recommend it just get the tissues before you watch **


	22. Chapter 22

Sue woke up on the morning of her birthday smiling she had dreamt of Jack all night, sighing happily she glanced over to her clock and wondered why Levi hadn't woke her up and more to the point where he was, grabbing her bathrobe she entered the kitchen and was instantly hit by the sweet smell of vanilla coffee, her favourite

"Good Morning Birthday Girl" Lucy said walking up to her hugging her

"Good morning Lucy, have you seen Levi this morning?"

"Yes, Tara and Amanda have taken him for his walk, as it's your birthday we decided to give you the morning off walking duty"

"Oh I see" She added hoping she had managed to hide the disappointment in her voice, knowing that she was to meet Jack she headed back to her bedroom "Back in a sec Luce, just remembered something"

Sitting on her bed she sighed in sadness, as she began to type her message to Jack

**Morning Honey, bad news Tara and Amanda have taken Levi out for his walk, they all let me have a lie in this morning, so our date will have to wait, talk to you later, Miss you loads, Love you with all my heart, Sue XXX **

Sighing again she got off her bed and walked back in to the kitchen for her vanilla coffee, her blackberry in her pocket.

At the table with Lucy they talked about how much they both enjoyed last night even though they had eaten way to much chocolate and would probably need at least a four hour gym session to burn off the calories

"Yes we will but you're allowed to splurge when it's your birthday, workout sessions can wait until after the weekend" Lucy added

"That's true, so do you want to grab the first shower or shall I go, that way we can be nearly ready by the time Amanda and Tara come back"

"I'll go first, you drink your coffee, and then when we are all done you can open presents"

"Yay I love presents" Sue added excitedly as Lucy headed for the shower, giggling at the slight vibrations from her blackberry in her pocket, taking it out she smiled as she saw who the message was from

**Morning, Happy Birthday to the most beautiful woman on earth! Hope you enjoyed your lie in this morning, guess I'll just have to wait a little bit longer to see your gorgeous face and even longer to give you a proper kiss, see you soon, Miss you loads, love you with all my heart, Jack xxx **

Sue smiled at his message and proceeded to drink the rest of her coffee, nearly chocking on a mouthful as Tara came up beside her hugging her good morning and signing happy birthday once again.

"Thank you" she signed

"Where's Lucy?"

"Shower, you can take the next one if you want, I have to feed Levi anyway"

"No need" Tara added pointing behind her where Amanda was busy filling his dog bowl

"Levi is fed I'm going to take a shower do you mind?" she signed

The two friends shock their head as Amanda headed for the bathroom. As Sue finished her coffee Lucy came out of the bedroom dressed and ready for breakfast, followed by Amanda from the bathroom

"You go ahead Tara I can wait"

"I'll be out in five minutes" she stated

"Well were you two gossiping about?" Lucy asked quizzically

"Nothing much, I was just telling Tara to have faith and that things may change for the better, something you should also remember"

Lucy just looked at her quizzically and indicated that Tara was out of the bathroom

Sue stepped in and allowed the cool jets soothe her all over, with in twenty minutes of entering the shower Sue was dressed in a pair of black jeans and a blue t-shirt, her hair was down and slightly damp and her most comfortable trainers were on her feet a light covering of make-up and she was done, heading out of the bedroom ready to open her presents.

"That was fast" Lucy noted as she sat beside her friend

"Yep, I'm starving, I want my birthday breakfast, it is just a pity D couldn't make but I hope he's enjoying his holiday in Hawaii"

"I know how lucky is he? But it is his anniversary and what a great present for Donna, speaking of presents as it is your birthday I guess you can have this" Tara said handing her a small square box. Opening it Sue gasped

"Tara it is beautiful" she said as she took out the long gold chain which on the end had a small delicate paw print with four rubies on the feet

"I know how much Levi means to you so I thought that you could wear a part of him wherever you go"

"It really is beautiful Tara, thank you" Sue signed unable to speak, she leant over and hugged her friend

"My turn!" Lucy said excitedly as she tapped Sue on the shoulder handing her a long box

"Thank you Luce" she said as she took it, opening it she saw another necklace with a big oval pendant hanging on the end

"Open it" Lucy explained

Sue felt the tears in her eyes as she looked at the picture "But how?" she asked

"I had a little help from your dad"

Sue hugged her best friend as she looked at the photo inside, it was one of the last photo's her mum and dad had taken together before her mother lost her cancer battle earlier that year and was a favourite of Sue's. Amanda tapped her on the shoulder

"My turn" she signed as she handed Sue a present earning a signed thank you

Opening the present Sue found herself looking into the eyes of a big brown cuddly puppy holding a bone in his mouth that read 'Happy Birthday Sue'

"Thank you he's gorgeous" Sue signed, giving the teenager a hug.

The four friends left the apartment, Levi at the side of them and walked the three blocks to Amanda's house; due to a holiday she was unable to attend the breakfast. The girls were the first to arrive at Charlie's Cafe, followed by Jack who was carrying a small box, opening it she laughed as she took out the pine car air-freshener

"Oh very funny, Mr Hudson" she said

"Did we miss something?" Lucy asked picking up the green tree

"When we were went to Falkirk school last week, I mentioned how I loved the smell of pine and Jack said that he knew what to get me for my birthday, pine scented air fresheners so that's what he bought"

"Aw and Mr Hudson remembered that" Lucy said while humming 'It must be love, love, love'

"This is your real gift" he said giving her a square box, opening it Sue looked at the little ornament of a girl with blonde hair sitting on a bench next to a golden dog, when he was sure Lucy and Tara weren't looking he mouthed

'**This is not your real gift. This is a little gift your real gift is coming later tonight' **adding a small wink at the end that caused her to blush slightly, more after he gave her a hug and a small peck on the cheek.

Bobby was next to arrive he too was carrying a gift bag for Sue opening it she found her very own Kangaroo cuddly toy

"Thank you Bobby he's lovely"

Finally after another ten minutes Myles finally arrived again with a gift for Sue

"Sorry I'm late! Blame Webber and his flipping gardeners. This Miss Birthday Girl is for you" he said handing her a flat square present

Opening it Sue hugged Myles, "Thank you" she said "But how did you know that this was my favourite painting?"

"I had a little help from Lucy, she asked your dad and he informed her that _Sunflowers by Van Gogh _was your favourite painting"

"I love it thank you Myles" she said giving him a small hug

"Can we go in I'm starving, my stomach is talking in peculiar languages" Bobby asked

"Come on then, Crash, let's go feed you" Tara said grabbing his arm

Together the team walked into the cafe and with some careful planning by the girls, the seating arrangements around the table was Sue, Jack, Bobby, Tara, Lucy and Myles. They all ordered their breakfasts the girls all had pancakes with maple syrup, Bobby and Jack had their usual full breakfasts and Myles opted for the low cholesterol option of a summer breakfast fruit medley, each team member also ordered coffee and together they sat and enjoyed their breakfast.

Once the breakfast had finished Myles stood up and addressed the team

"We all know why we are here today, the lovely and talented Miss Thomas is celebrating her birthday and I think it is time we each said a few words in her honour. Sue, I know we had our rough patch in the beginning but your determination and passion for your job shone through and I for one am happy to be on a team with you and I wish you a happy birthday."

Lucy was next "Sue, I would like to say you are my best friend but you're not you're more than that you're like my sister, you are the person who is always there to lend a hand, to comfort me when I need it, make me laugh when I need and I just want to say that I love you and happy birthday"

Tara was next to stand "Sue, to me you are also like a sister, you were there with me holding my hand when Crazy Loco was after me, you helped my heart heal when Stanley and I broke up, you gave me a home when my apartment was trashed and I was too scared to stay home alone. You are always there when I need you and I too want to say happy birthday and that I love you."

By now the whole team was struggling not to cry even Bobby, who had to take a moment before his speech

"Sue, I know you love me, especially after you caught what I said about you when Jack first bought you to them team after all a woman loves a bit of flattery. But we all know that your heart belongs to someone else and that's Levi. Anyway I just want to say Happy Birthday and thank you for introducing us all to your world, a world that has made us all better people."

Finally it was Jack's turn and he knew he had to be careful about what he said, he had another speech in his mind but that was for tonight...

"Sue, you are my best friend, you've seen me at my lowest, my happiest you've made me talk even when I didn't want to, you have opened my eyes to a new way of living, you have taught me so much and I know that you have made all our lives brighter since the day you started yelling at me...Happy Birthday... To Sue" he added which resulted in the whole team repeating the phrase followed by a chorus of Happy Birthday in both words and signs as the owner of the cafe fetched out a huge chocolate birthday cake

"Make a wish" Lucy said as Sue leant in to blow out her candles

Closing her eyes she wished the only thing she wanted to be with Jack forever...

An hour later the breakfast was finished and paid for courtesy of Myles, the team headed for Wilson Park and did what they always did on a Saturday afternoon, played football, even Tara joined in after Bobby promised he wouldn't let her get hurt.

Once the game had finished the team left laughing and headed home but not before sneakily confirming plans Tara mentioning to Bobby that he was not to show up Lucy's and he suggested they could go out instead which she agreed to, Myles and Lucy were finalizing a time checking with Bobby and Tara, who agreed and winked to each other and finally Sue telling Jack she would meet him at his place at exactly 6pm four hours from now and that she couldn't wait and boy did she mean it...


	23. Chapter 23

Re-entering their apartment Sue and Lucy flopped on the sofa for a few minutes

"I think that walk and the football game may have burned off at least some of the chocolate we ate last night" Lucy noted

"I hope so, so have you and Tara decided what you're going to cook for Myles and Bobby later"

"Yes we decided that as none of us have the energy to cook, we would just order an Italian take-out from Georgio's"

"I love that place, I thought that was where my dad was taking me but he insists that he's taking me somewhere special, speaking of which I need your help, he said I have to get dressed up" Sue said pulling her roommate off the couch and towards her closet, Sue choose four of her favourite dresses and looked at Lucy

"Which one should I wear tonight?"

Studying the dress hard for a few minutes Lucy pointed at a deep green one that fell just below her knees, it was halter neck and flared slightly at the end, it also happened to be one that Jack loved on her as she had worn it on their first date and he pointed that out

"I think this one will be perfect" Lucy said

"Me too, I suppose I better get ready I'm meeting him at the hotel at 6pm, its 4pm now and I need to leave by at least 5:30pm"

"You can but first you need to come with me" Lucy said grabbing her hand and pulling her back towards the kitchen, on entering Lucy stood in front of her and began to speak

"Sue, I want to give you something, this is an extra present from me I didn't want to give it to you earlier when Tara and Amanda was here" as she finished she handed her a gift bag "happy birthday"

"Lucy!" Sue said with a shock to her voice, she took the present out of the bag and opened it, her eyes filling with tears as she did "Oh my, Lucy it's beautiful"

"Do you really like it?"

Sue looked at the delicate black glass jewellery box, with small silver butterflies decorating it and had the words 'Friends are the sister's you have by choice and I choose you' written on the lid

"How could I not, it's not only beautiful but also meaningful, you too are like my sister, I always wanted a sister when I was younger and now I have three, you, Tara and Amanda, the three of you are my best friends and I love you all" she added giving her best friend a huge hug, the tears streaming down both their faces.

"Sorry to make you cry" Sue added with a slight giggle when they parted, "And I think you may need to um...clean your face, you have black mascara running down your eyes, you need to look your best for Myles" She added with a wink

"Very funny Miss Thomas, but so do you" she added pointing to her panda eyes

Lucy insisted Sue went to the bathroom first, after another scrub down in the shower, and a quick shampoo of her hair Sue was done and called Lucy to inform her so as she headed for her bedroom, she dried herself, chose her favourite deep green underwear which matched her dress perfectly, she put her hair in a few curlers and a quick blast of the hairdryer gave it a bit more bounce as she had to leave it down, put on a light covering of foundation, a swipe of a lighter green eye-shadow, clear mascara, not wanting to use the black as it was too dark and a final covering of pale pink lip-gloss she called her make-up a success but not overly done.

She stepped into her green dress not risking getting makeup on it by going over her head, pulled it up and tried her hardest to do the zipper but failed miserably, wanting to be finished before she exited her bedroom, she finished getting ready, she pulled on her natural coloured stockings and her silver heeled shoes with a deep green trim, put her droplet earrings in her ears, added her locket that Lucy had given her for her birthday and finally transferred her blackberry, lip-gloss, tissues and hairbrush into her silver and deep green handbag that matched her shoes,

Grabbing her silver wrap off the chair and with a quick spray of perfume and hairspray she looked in the mirror and decided the outfit was a success, placing the perfume bottle in her bag she exited the bedroom pleased that she had the sense to take a change of clothes to Jack's earlier in the week since she was not coming home until at least Monday after work, or as Lucy thought dropped a bag off at the hotel with her dad.

"WOW" Lucy said as she saw her "You look beautiful, that colour is gorgeous on you"

"Thank you" she signed "You look very snazzy yourself, but can you do my zip?"

"Sure, turn around"

Looking at the clock Sue noticed it was 5:20, and she had forty minutes to get to Jacks and with her heels and Levi she knew this was going to be tight.

"Well I better get going" Sue added just as Lucy indicated the phone was ringing and someone was at the door, smiling Sue knew exactly what was coming. Sue answered the door to a smartly dressed Myles

"Miss Thomas, you look beautiful, your dad must be taking you somewhere very special"

"He is I just don't know where that is, by the way you look very handsome yourself"

"Thank you"

"Hi Myles" Lucy said in a husky voice at the sight of Myles as she got off the phone

"Lucy what's wrong" Sue added looking at her friend

"That was Tara, she and Bobby are not coming, Tara has to babysit her niece and Bobby has to drive his friend to the airport, they have only just remembered, so it looks like it just you and me for dinner, unless you want to cancel"

"Don't cancel, Myles is already here, it would be a shame for the two of you to get dressed up so nicely and not go anywhere, you should go out together, go to Georgio's, you said you were going to get Italian anyway"

Lucy noticed the look in her eyes and realised she had been set up by Sue and Tara

"I don't mind if you don't"

"It would be my pleasure; it is not every night I get to take a beautiful woman out to dinner"

"That's settled then Lucy! Myles! I will see you both at work on Monday, enjoy your evening and I expect details when I get home."

And with that she clipped on Levi's leash and was out of the door, a huge grin on her face, taking out her blackberry she sent Tara a message

**Hi, plan worked, Myles is taking Lucy to dinner at Georgio's. Enjoy your night, why don't you give Bobby a call then maybe it will be a special night for you too, I expect full details Monday xxx Sue**

As she continued her walk to Jack's her blackberry vibrated

**Hi, glad the plan worked, it is about time those two stopped tip-toeing around each other, Bobby is here, he came over about ten minutes ago we made plans to go to Antonio's xx Enjoy your dinner with your dad, Happy Birthday again xx Tara**

Sue couldn't help but smile at the fact that her two best friends were spending the night with the men they loved and as she arrived at Jack's apartment smiled even more at the fact that so was she.

Before knocking on the door she double –checked her outfit in her hand mirror, breathing deeply she gave the door a tap... Jack who was sat on his sofa anxiously waiting for Sue, leapt up on hearing his door knock, even though he knew it was Sue, he checked the eye-hole just to be safe not wanting to say 'hello gorgeous' to Bobby or Myles, satisfied that it was Sue he answered only the words he wanted to say never made it, his voice died the second he laid eyes on the vision in front of him...

Sue wasn't much better, sure she'd seen Jack in a suit before but this was different, he was wearing a black suit, deep green shirt that matched the colour of her dress, black shoes, his hair was ruffled slightly and he was wearing Fahrenheit aftershave undoubtedly Sue's favourite, finally she managed to get a word out

"HI"

"Hi, Wow, you look wow"

"You don't look to bad yourself"

"Thank you but WOW, um please come in"

Sue followed Jack into the living room and as he went to speak the effect seeing him in his suit took over and she grabbed him into a deep, tongue, passionate kiss only parting when she thought she would pass out from the lack of oxygen. They stood there a few seconds longer just staring at each other.

Levi not wanting to disturb the couple walked over to the footstool Jack had insisted was his for the taking

"Did I mention how absolutely gorgeous you look in that dress?"

"I believe the word you used was WOW" she replied causing them both to laugh "so now will you tell me where we're going for dinner, not that I want to, I would be quite happy staying in with you looking like that"

"No, it is still a surprise, but that staying in thing you mentioned does sound good, I am sure we could find another way to celebrate" he added wiggling his eyebrows suggestively "But that dress needs to be shown off, so that will have to wait but I will give you this" he continued handing her a long box

Opening it she found a silver charm bracelet with six charms on it

"They all represent you in my eyes, the dress represents your beauty, the tiger represents your determination, the heart is my love for you, the key is because you hold the key to my heart, the ring represents how my love for you is never-ending and the pine tree well that's just a little joke from me knowing how much you love them."

Sue was completely speechless, this time words really did fail her, so she did the only thing she could think of that would show him how she felt, she kissed him passionately once more

"Thank you baby its beautiful, I love it"

"I'm glad you like, now come on I want to take my gorgeous girlfriend out and spoil her rotten for her birthday"

Jack turned around and looked at Levi who was sat on his footstool by the window

"OK knuckle-head, there is food and paper in the kitchen encase you get caught short or feel hungry. We'll be back around midnight and if you are a good boy perhaps we'll go for a walk ok"

Levi looked up as if to say 'providing I can stay here and sleep we'll have no worries'

Jack turned back to look at Sue and said

"I think Levi will be fine here for a while, you ready to go?"

Sue nodded and with their arms around each other exited his apartment, made their way down stairs and outside, as Sue stepped out she saw the next part of Jack's surprise


	24. Chapter 24

"Is that for us?" she asked

Jack just nodded, "I told you I was going to spoil you and since the restaurant we are going to is very special, I thought we should arrive in style"

Walking down the steps Sue stared at the white stretch limo in front of her, the driver opened the door and inside she found a gigantic teddy bear holding a heart that read 'Happy Birthday Sue, I love you' and a huge bouquet of fire and ice roses were, sitting in the seat Jack pulled her into his lap wanting to just hold her in his arms she snuggled into him and smiled happily.

"I love you" she said as she closed her eyes for a few moments, kissing her nose to making her open them again he replied

"I love you too baby, so much"

Bringing their lips together they shared another long passionate kiss, followed by smaller ones to each other's necks, cheeks, noses, longer ones to the lips, the whole journey to the restaurant was filled with kisses and I love yous by the time they arrived the two of them had the biggest smiles on their faces...

We're here" Jack said as the car stopped

As they exited the limo her mouth dropped when she saw where they were.

They had arrived at a restaurant on the edge of the city, it was surrounded by a lake, had fairy lights in all the trees, a huge glass fronted entrance, the whole area was beautiful and looked like something you would see in an old romantic movie, taking in her surroundings it was easy to see why Marcela's had been voted one of the most romantic restaurants in DC and also the most expensive.

"I told you I was going to spoil you" Jack said when he saw the sparkle in her eyes

"It's beautiful Jack, but it is the most expensive restaurant in DC"

"You are worth every penny" he said kissing her cheek,

Taking her hand he led her through the big glass door, on entering it was easy to see why it had the reputation of being romantic, the walls were painted in a pale cream colour, with silver accents, the ceiling was painted with an ornate gothic design there was soft lighting, long draped curtains on the windows it was breathtaking, walking up to the desk Jack was greeted by the male hostess

"Good evening Sir"

"Good evening, Jack Hudson, I have a table for two booked"

"Yes, Mr Hudson and this must be Miss Thomas, the birthday girl I presume" he said holding out his hand to Sue, who shook his hand and blushed slightly when he gave it a small kiss

"May I say you look beautiful this evening Miss Thomas, Mr Hudson is a very lucky man, if I wasn't gay, he'd have a fight on his hands" he said winking, causing Sue to let out a small giggle

"Thank you, but I only have eyes for one man" she said has she stared at Jack with love shining from her eyes

"Mr Hudson, Miss Thomas if you would like to follow me I'll introduce you to your waiter, who will in turn show you to your table"

"Thank you" Jack said, and the couple followed Marco, who introduced them to a short man dressed in a crisp black suit with cream and silver accents similar to the colours on the wall, walking into the main dining room Sue's eyes sparkled

"WOW it's beautiful" she said,

And it was in the dining room was a small stage where a band was playing soft music, that Sue could feel through her feet, there was a tiny dance floor, a huge crystal chandelier which when caught by the moonlight would send sparkles all around the room, there were only about eight or nine tables in the restaurant.

The waiter showed them to their table which had a view of the lake and surrounding trees, but also the stage could easily be seen by Sue who would have to be able to read the lips of the singer after dinner. The tables were all had a selection of small, silver tea – light candles; the room was romantically lit with large pillar candles.

Once they were settled in their seats Jack ordered them both a glass of champagne and he noticed the tear trickling down Sue's face

"Everything Ok baby" he asked taping her nose

Looking at him, she smiled, kissed his hand and said "perfect, how could it not be, I am in a beautiful restaurant, in a beautiful location and I'm with the man I love more than anything else."

Jack couldn't resist any longer and leant forward placing a loving kiss on Sue's lips, moving back into his seat only when their waiter bought their champagne and two menu's, glancing through Sue once again noted how expensive this place was, but Jack told her to order whatever she wanted tonight money was no object,

Once their food was ordered Jack took her hands in his as they waited for their meal; talk turned to how Sue and Tara had set up Myles and Lucy and how Bobby and Tara were also on a 'secret date', they also agreed that some point on Monday they would tell the team their secret and put them out of their misery, Sue also told Jack more about the girls night, what the girls had given her as gifts including the jewellery box that Lucy had given her, which Jack agreed was amazing gift.

Once their meals arrived Jack and Sue savoured every bite, Jack had ordered the slow roasted mint infused lamb with summer vegetables which tasted as good as it smelt where as Sue had honey roasted glazed chicken with honey roasted vegetable which too tasted as good as it looked and smelt.

After their meals Jack insisted they ordered dessert since he knew how much she loved her sweets, so an order of banana and toffee slice and a vanilla cheesecake with cherry sauce was placed, the deserts were just as good if not better than the lamb and chicken.

"Sweetheart, I have a small surprise for you, watch the band" he said nodding his head as a sign

Looking at him with questioning eyes she turned her attention to the band and read the lips of the piano player as he stood and looked at her

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a lady here with us tonight who is celebrating her birthday with her partner and he wanted to surprise her by dedicating a song to her, So Miss Sue Thomas this is for you, I know that you are unable to hear us but Mr Hudson has all that figured out"

Looking at Jack she smiled, "You dedicated a song to me"

"Yes baby, it's a song that describes exactly how much you mean to me, I am going to mouth the words to you as the band plays that way you'll feel the music and hear the words so to speak"

Wiping a tear away he held out his hand

"Shall we" he asked, she took it and together they headed towards the dance floor, he placed his arms around her waist as hers circled his neck, as the music started they began moving together, Jack mouthing the words as he stared into her eyes

_**You never said you were perfect,  
but you always are to me.  
Loving you was always worth it,  
because you see so much in me.  
And when I'm down,  
you're there to lift me.  
You come around,  
when I need a friend.  
And no one loves me like you do,  
Unconditional and true.  
You're the shoulder that I've always known  
And the hand that says I'm not alone  
More than myself,  
I love you more than life itself!**_

Did u know that I get lonely?  
At the thought of you not being here.  
Can you see that you're the only,  
one that never disappears?  
And when I fear you are the comfort  
the one who steers me to the light.  
And no one loves me like you do.  
Unconditional and true.  
You're the shoulder that I've always known  
and the hand that says I'm not alone.  
More than myself,  
I love you more than life itself.

I love! I love! I love you!  
And I don't care if it sounds trite.  
I'll say it over and over  
It makes me feel alive  
you give me all my fire  
by watching what you live  
by what you believe  
so many things you taught me  
and even when you caught me  
I always knew that you could still see the best in me  
the best in me  
No one loves me like you do  
unconditional and true  
You're the shoulder that I've always known  
and the hand that says I'm not alone

_**More than myself  
I love you more than life itself  
more than you know  
I love you more than life itself**_

Sill moving together Jack said "I love you baby, with all my heart"

"I love you too" Sue said, bringing their lips together

Around the diner room the other diners, waiters, kitchen staff and Marco the host looked on, not a dry eye between them, not that either Jack or Sue noticed they were lost in their own little world. Leaving the dance floor he took Sue's hand and led her out of the restaurant and back into the limo where once again she sat on his lap arms around his neck as he stroked her leg

"So beautiful you ready for your next surprise?"

"Next surprise what more could there be?"

"You'll see when we get there"

"You really are spoiling me"

**Please review**

**I really hope the song fits I changed it so many times xx please let me know if it does or not xxx**

**The song is More Than Life Itself – written by:**

ThomasYezzi, Michale Benigno; Chris Goerke, Kara Elizabeth Diofuardi and Marc Russell

and performed by Kelly Osbourne xx


	25. Chapter 25

**Quick warning we get a little bit steamy towards the end. There is an episode flashback in here from The Pilot, Bobby the Gambler and Simon Says very minor though**

After another twenty minute drive filled with kisses Jack and Sue arrived at a small airfield

"What are we doing here?" Sue asked confused as she got out of the limo

"You always said you wanted to take a helicopter ride around DC at night"

He said leading her to the large black and grey helicopter sitting on the airfield.

Within 10 minutes of arriving at the airstrip Jack and Sue were in the sky. The helicopter ride was exactly how Sue had imagined it would be. DC was a beautiful place anyway but at night it looked breathtaking. The lights on the trees were illuminating; the White House seemed to sparkle, even the Hoover Building looked dazzling, leaning back against Jack's chest as he stroked her arm lovingly Sue felt happier than she had ever been.

Thirty minutes later they were back on the ground and in the limo with Sue sat on Jack's lap.

"Thank you honey, tonight has been amazing, everything I could possibly wish for and a whole lot more"

"It's not over yet" he replied with a smile that left Sue wondering what else he had planned

The limo pulled outside Jack's apartment, the two of them exited, Sue carrying her roses while Jack had the bear, they entered the apartment and Jack said

"How about you and I go for a moonlight walk around the lake?"

"That would be the perfect end to a perfect night"

"Come on Levi, how about you accompany me and this lovely lady for a stroll around the park"

Levi jumped off the stool and was at Sue's feet before Jack had finished talking, smiling Jack looked at Sue and said

"I think that's a Yes"

"Me too"

Placing the leash on Levi, the three of them made their towards the park located opposite his apartment as they walked across the small wooden bridge in the middle of the lake Jack knew that right now was the perfect time to do what he had wanted to all night

There were times when he could have, but there was always something missing, but now with Levi at her feet, the moon high in the sky, the lights in the trees, the reflection of the moon dancing in the water he knew it was the perfect time.

Moving to stand behind her he placed one arm around her waist and used the other to move her hair to the side. He placed small, soft kisses to the back and side of her neck, making Sue hold on to the railings as time and time again his lips hit the spot on her neck that drove her crazy, turning around she captured his lips with hers.

The kiss started off tender but the thoughts of everything he had done for her tonight took over and parting his lips with her tongue the kiss went deeper and deeper until the two of them thought they would pass out from pleasure or lack of oxygen, snuggling into Jack she rested her head in his neck and simply enjoyed her surroundings and the scent of his aftershave.

Jack knew he wanted to feel this way for the rest of his life, so taking her chin in his hand he tilted her head up looking into her eyes his breath stopped in his throat he couldn't believe how beautiful she was, how much he loved her and the fact that she loved him back made him feel like he could fly

"Baby do you know when I knew you were the one?"

She thought for a moment and shook her head; he had told her he was attracted to her from the day he met her and she started yelling at him, knew he loved her the day he had his heart thing but he had never told her when he knew she was the one

"I knew I truly loved you the day Levi went missing, seeing you so upset was breaking my heart all I wanted to do was take all your pain away, holding you in the middle of the street in the pouring rain I felt complete and it felt so right. I sat there on your sofa as you fell asleep just watching you, you were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen and I knew I wanted to feel that way for the rest of my life"

As he finished he let her hands go and got a small velvet box from his inside pocket, kneeling on one knee in front of her, he opened the box causing her to gasp at the ring inside

"Baby I never want this feeling to end, I want to wake up to your eyes, your kiss, your touch for the rest of my life" with one hand holding the box, one hand in hers and tears in his eyes he said

"Sue, baby I love you more than life itself, Will You Marry Me?" he asked in both words and signs

Looking at Jack, tears in her own eyes from what he said she looked at him and smiled

"Honey, I never want to be without you, every time I look into your eyes I get lost, I want to spend every-night lying in your arms, I want your kiss to be the last thing I feel at night and the first thing I feel in the mornings, I want to experience the joy of marriage and parenthood with you by my side, yes Jack, yes I'll marry you" she said as she flung her arms around his neck tears streaming down both their faces.

Parting Jack took her hand and slipped the white gold solitaire diamond ring onto her finger, while using his other hand to wipe away her tears.

Once the ring was where it was meant to be he proceeded to place feather kisses in a trail starting on her hand all the way up to her lips capturing them in another passionate kiss, breaking apart she said

"Take me home Mr Hudson"

He put his arms around her shoulder as she once again snuggled into his neck as they made their way out of the park and park to his apartment, Levi's tail wagging happily as they walked.

On entering Levi made his way to the stool as Sue and Jack moved into the bedroom.

Jack and Sue lay in each other's arms on the bed still smiling at the fact that they were going to be together forever, turning to lie on his stomach and face him she said

"Do you know when I knew you were the one?"

He knew her feelings for him were stronger that friendship when he saw the look of hurt on her face when Allie showed up at the hospital, but he didn't know when she knew was the one. Shaking his head Jack said "No, but I would love it if you told me and feel free to go into detail"

"Very funny" she said as she recalled he had used that line to try and flirt with her during their undercover marriage

"The day I knew I you were the one was during the case with Simon, I loved you well before then, but that night I came home from the hotel... All I know is that I will always be grateful to whoever was on the other end of that phone call... That person helped save my life that night... All I thought of when he placed that scarf around my neck was you... I wanted you to come barging through the door to save me and then there you were I have never been so happy to see you...When you held me I knew I wanted to feel that way forever...The thought of never seeing you again broke my heart"

Her voice trailed off as she finished

"Baby that is something you never have to worry about , like I told you only last week you are stuck with me for a long time yet" he said as he kissed her cheek

The warm sensation of his lips on her cheek sent shivers of passion through her body; placing a trail of kisses from her cheeks to her neck the sensation intensified finally he ended her torture and as he placed his lips on hers the passion inside them grew and she knew what she wanted, removing his shirt it became clear to Jack, he slowly turned and moved her under him.

And there in his bedroom completely oblivious that the whole proposal scene had been witnessed by a couple heading home from a night at Antonio's, their bodies became one; neither Jack nor Sue got much sleep that night...

**And if you are wondering where the helicopter ride around DC and the whole proposal on the bridge in the middle of a lake came from it was how my hubby to be asked me to marry him xx only we took the ride around London xx **

**REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW XX **


	26. Chapter 26

**Gets a bit steamy towards the end just to warn you **

After a long lie in Jack and Sue woke Sunday morning happier than either of them had in a long time. They had spent the night making love and now they were lying in the bed, Sue was on her stomach and he had his arms around her and they were just looking at each other lovingly

"So baby what do you want to do today?" Jack asked

"Nothing, I want to stay indoors, in your arms curled on the sofa, I don't want to spend our first day as an engaged couple with anyone except you and Levi"

"I like the way you think baby, but how about breakfast first?"

Nodding her head she got out of the bed and pulled on his hockey jersey that matched her own, smiling widely he attempted to get out of the bed to follow her but she pushed him back down

"AH AH Babe don't move, you spoilt me last night, this morning it is my turn to return the favour and I'm going to start by making you breakfast in bed"

Pulling her down to him he kissed her and said "Believe you me the sight of you dressed only in that shirt is reward enough"

"Smooth Jack very smooth, but I'm warning you do not leave this bedroom" she said with a determined look in her eye

Smiling Jack lay back with his hands behind his bed, he really was the happiest man on earth and couldn't believe how much he missed not being with her, even though she was only in his kitchen, grabbing a pair of boxers from his dresser he peeped around the door which happened to have a perfect view of the kitchen and just watched her smiling as she hummed a tune.

Sue made her way towards Jack's kitchen with a spring in her step and a smile on her face, opening the fridge she knew exactly what to make and proceeded to take out the eggs, milk and blueberries and finally the flour from the cupboard, mixing all the ingredients together she proceeded to cook them both a stack of blueberry pancakes.

As the pancakes cooked in the pan Levi walked into the kitchen

"Hey buddy do you want some food?" she asked as she bent down to fill his bowl, Levi walked over to the bowl, ate his food, drank some water, went back into the living room and curled up on his stool. It wasn't long before he was back in a dreamland chasing cats and bunnies.

Sue hummed a small tune as she waited for the pancakes to cook. Once they were she sprinkled some sugar on top, added maple syrup, poured some coffee, placed the whole breakfast on the tray and made her way back to Jack

As Jack noticed she was finished he moved quickly from the door and jumped back onto the bed, just as she walked in

"I thought I told you not to move"

"I haven't moved" he said smiling

Walking towards the bed, she placed the tray on the end and said

"I beg to differ, I cannot remember you wearing those when I left" she said pulling at the edge of his boxers

"You told me I couldn't leave the bedroom, you didn't say anything about not leaving the bed" he said with a smirk and a glint in his eyes.

Sue realising what he said was true just smiled sweetly, picked up the tray, handed it to Jack and sat beside him.

"This looks lovely" he said ensuring she could see his lips

"Well its getting cold so dig in"

Doing as he was told they proceeded to eat their breakfast feeding each other the pancakes and using tongues to lick away the drizzles of maple syrup

"Thank you baby this has been the perfect morning" Sue said before kissing him on his cheek

"I think so too, now it is your turn to stay I'm going to do the dishes because as you know the cook never cleans" he said returning the kiss and getting out of the bed

"I will stay in fact I'm going to take a shower"

"Never-mind the dishes I like your idea better, lets both take a shower" he replied placing the tray on the dresser before scooping her up and carrying her to the bathroom

"Jack put me down" she squeaked

"Your wish is my command" he said as he placed in her the shower

After a twenty minute passion filled shower and a further forty minutes making love the couple had finally got dressed and decided to take a quick stroll around the park for Levi to 'do his business' and for Jack and Sue to stretch their legs

They arrived back in the apartment, closed the door to shut out the world and headed for the sofa Jack was sat on the end of the sofa his feet on the footstool while Sue was snuggled at his side her head in his neck and his head resting on hers, neither one speaking they just enjoyed their movie

An hour later they were still in their same position, when a vibration in Jack's pocket reminded them they were not entirely shut off from the rest of the world.

"Crash HI" Jack said answering

"How would I know how Sue is, I haven't seen her since the game in the park yesterday afternoon why?" his eyes widening

"Antonio's very nice, but it couldn't have been me or Sue you saw on the lake, Sue was with her dad and I was playing in and attending that charity hockey match and dinner I told you about, so sorry Crash it wasn't me"

"What exactly was I supposed to have been doing?"

"It wasn't me or Sue and surely the dog would have been an inclination that it wasn't me, unless I own an invisible one that only you can see"

Flipping his phone shut Jack looked at Sue and it dawned on him what he had said

"I think we've been rumbled, Bobby and Tara were walking home from Antonio's last night on the opposite side of the lake where I proposed and he said he saw something of great interest when I asked him what he hung up laughing"

"We'll deal with it tomorrow, today is our day and all I want to do is sat here on this sofa in the arms of my fiancée, order a take-out, drink wine, watch a movie, make love to you all night long and forget that the outside world exists until at least 8 O'clock tomorrow morning"

"I've said it once I'll say it again I love the way you think baby" he replied kissing her passionately, settling back into their previous position Jack agreed today was their day and no-one else mattered.

Around seven pm Jack moved far enough to reach his phone, which he had placed on the table by the side of the sofa, and ordered their take-out, when it arrived he got up and paid for their meals informed Sue with a kiss to her cheek that dinner was served

Once both they and Levi had finished eating Sue looked at him and smiled as she remembered a promise he had made to her on Friday night about watching Beaches

"I have a something for you but you have to follow me to the bedroom to get it"

"Oh really" he replied with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows

"Oh yeah" she replied pulling him off the seat and leading him to the bedroom, pushing him down on the bed, she climbed on him with her knees either side of him

"You ready for your present" she asked in her huskiest voice

Jack swallowed and tried to speak, words failed him so he signed 'Yes'

Sue slowly moved her way down towards his face, as his breathing became deeper and slower he prepared himself for what was she was about to do but she did nothing except stretch her hand to the night table and took a copy of Beaches out of the draw

"Surprise!" she said smiling as she sat back up

Steadying his breath and trying to control the need for her inside him, he looked at her and said

"Oh you will pay for that, you have no idea how much I want you right now"

Sitting up he wrapped her legs around him and stood, turning around he placed her back on the bed so that he was now on top of her in the same position she had previously been, this time it was her breath that sharpened and slowed, she wanted him but instead of complying he kissed her nose and headed back to the living room DVD in hand winking at her as he left.

After a few moments of composing herself Sue stood up and made her way to the living room where Jack was sat on the sofa, feet on the footstool and a huge smile on his face

"What are you looking so happy about?" she asked in a flirty voice

"The fact that there is a sexy, beautiful woman standing in front of me who I love more than life itself, there's only one problem though"

"What's that?"

Pointing at her he replied "She's over there, I'm over here"

"Well why you don't do something to change that"

Loving how they easily slipped into their flirty banter he stood up, walked over to her, pulled her into him, kissed her with a tongue tangling kiss and carried her over to the sofa where he sat her firmly on his lap and stroked her leg

"Much better" he said looking at her lovingly

"I think so to, I definitely prefer this spot to that spot" she replied pointing to where she was just stood

Putting on the closed captions and pressing play, Sue snuggled into his neck as they watched Beaches, by the end of the movie Sue was crying into a tissue while Jack, who also had tears in eyes, used one hand to rub her back and another to rub her leg.

Once the movie had finished Jack looked at Sue and said

"I will admit that was a good movie and quite sad"

"Jack Hudson likes a chick flick, never thought I'd see the day, where's my blackberry when I need it? This story needs to be told"

"I never said I liked it I said it was a good movie there is a big difference"

"Come on then smarty pants what's the difference?"

Jack sat there for a few minutes, trying his hardest to think of the difference but was unsuccessful

"Can't think of one can you?" she said teasingly

"Hang on I'm trying" but shook he his head

"I knew it and I love you more now for admitting it"

"I love you too baby, even though you practically forced me to admit that I liked a chick flick, something I will deny if you ever tell anyone" he replied moving her hair to place kisses down her neck, feeling her respond to his kiss he slowly undid the buttons on her shirt while she undid his.

Allowing the passion burning inside them to take over they stood and together walked slowly towards the bedroom working each other trousers as they did, hitting the bed with his calves she pushed him down on the bed in the same way she had not hours before only this time instead of teasing each other by moving away they gently made love.

**OOOPs Busted!**

**Please review x **


	27. Chapter 27

Monday morning arrived and two new couples were lying in each other's arms.

Myles and Lucy were in her apartment, grateful that Sue had spent the weekend with her dad. Their weekend had obviously been successful. They had ordered their take-out from Georgio's but somewhere between ending the call and the food arriving they had began kissing passionately, neither of them admitting to who had initiated it.

Smiling Myles placed delicate kisses on the face of a sleeping Lucy, causing her to slowly open her eyes

"Good morning beautiful"

"Good morning Myles, what time is it?"

"Just after 6am, I thought I would treat a lovely lady by cooking her breakfast this morning"

"OOO ever the gentlemen, what are you going to cook?"

"Chocolate Chip Pancakes with lots of syrup"

"MMMMM My favourite"

Forty minutes later Myles and Lucy were in her kitchen making breakfast and stealing the odd kiss

"So when is Sue coming back from her weekend with her dad?"

"Today, I've really missed not having her around, it's been really strange, I have been expecting her and Levi to walk through the door at some point during the last few days, but there were also other things that kept me distracted" she replied with a wink

"That's true" he replied with her own wink, as he headed for the shower Lucy following closely behind him

Within forty minutes both Myles and Lucy were showered, dressed for work and heading to the office in separate cars so as not to raise suspicions, they did however manage to share passionate kisses in the parking garage...

Across town an Australian and a computer expert, we also lying together, but they were not sleeping, they were too excited at the thought that Jack and Sue were engaged to sleep

"It had to be them" Tara said

"I know sweetie, the dog, the man with dark hair, the woman with blonde hair, the signing, I'm convinced it was Sparky and Sue no matter how much he tries to make us believe otherwise"

"So Bobby what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking we need to have a bit of fun with this, let's see who cracks first"

"Brilliant, but I do think we need to check a few details with Lucy first, let's make sure it was them" Tara concluded as she leant over and kissed him

"I agree, so we'll ask Lucy some questions when we get to the office, and get as much information as we can and then plot revenge" Bobby added with a wiggle of his brows

"Deal, but first we have to get there, so you can go for a shower and I'll make breakfast"

Bobby shook his head and replied "I have a better idea, I think you should shower with me that way we'll save water and save the environment"

"Good thinking!" Tara agreed and together they headed for their water saving shower

Once dried, dressed and fed, Bobby and Tara were on their way to the office ready to interrogate Lucy about Sue... but not before they too stole kisses in the parking garage.

Walking into the bullpen Lucy and Myles realised they were the first to arrive, but with the 'no dating rule' decided it would probably be best not to take advantage of the situation instead he gave her hand a light squeeze and they settled by their desks ready to trawl through the endless piles of paperwork on their desks.

Bobby and Tara entered the bullpen about 10 minutes after Myles and Lucy and immediately walked up to her desk

"Hey Lucy, did you and Sue enjoy your weekend?" Bobby asked casually

"Ah Bobby I haven't seen Sue she was with her dad; he took her out for a meal Saturday night and treated her to a spa day in the hotel on Saturday why?"

"Sorry Luce I forgot" Bobby added trying to look neutral

"This may seem like a strange question, but what was she wearing when she left?" Tara asked

"That deep green halter neck dress, you know the one she wore the night of Amanda's award"

"Oh I know, the one she wore when Jack couldn't keep his focus all night" Tara added

"Yes that one, why? And by the way thank you for setting me up with Myles, Miss Williams, was that all Sue's idea or did you two have something to do with it?"

"Nothing to do with me Shelia, I suggest you have a chat with Miss Williams and Miss Thomas about that incident, I just did what I was told"

"So Sue was with her dad, you sure about that?" Tara asked

"Yeah she was, I think but I haven't spoken to her since Saturday night, what's with all the questions? I feel like I'm being interrogated"

Looking between themselves Tara and Bobby smiled, with the dress, Levi, the signing and the fact that they knew very well it was Jack and Sue they saw by the lake

"Oh do we have news for you, Myles come here you are really going to want to hear this one mate" Bobby said while calling Myles

"Ok I'm here and listening what do you have to say that is so important"

Tara looked at them and smiled "We think, no we know Jack has proposed to Sue"

"OH MY GOD" Lucy's happy scream could be heard three floors down in the building "What? How? When? Why do I not know about this?"

"Sheesh Shelia your screams could wake the dead!" Bobby said while rubbing his ear

"Tara! Bobby! WE WANT DETAILS" Myles and Lucy said together

"Ok Bobby and I were walking to my house around midnight Saturday night after having a meal at Antonio's. We decided to take the short cut through the park with the lake opposite Jack's apartment and that's when we saw it"

"Saw what?"

"Myles SHHH! Let them finish"

Tara nodded at Bobby for him to continue "We were coming close to the bridge and stopped when we saw what we are now convinced was Jack down on one knee, proposing to a woman, wearing a green dress. He was using sign language and there was a golden dog at her feet"

Lucy screamed again causing Bobby and Myles to rub the ears

"So what did he just pop the question out of the blue or do you think..." Myles

"Secret relationship, I'm convinced of it, especially after the conversation I had with Jack yesterday"

"What conversation?" Myles asked both he and Lucy were listening intently now

"I rang Sparky yesterday and asked him how Sue was, to which he replied 'I have seen Sue, she's with her dad' and he was a bit quick answering if you get my drift. He kept trying to turn the conversation asking me where I was. He told me that he was at the hockey game and dinner and repeated again that Sue was with her dad. He asked me what I thought he was doing on the lake."

"And you said?"

"Myles SHHHHH! I'm listening, stop interrupting him, Go ahead Bobby what did Jack say?"

"I said to him that I saw something of great interest to the team, him kissing and proposing in sign language to a blonde woman who happened to look like Sue"

"And what did he say?"

"Myles! I am going to gag you if you don't be quiet"

"He said, and I quote 'It wasn't me or Sue surely the dog was an indication that it wasn't me, unless I own an invisible one only you can see, besides I was at the dinner, Sue was with her dad.' The fear and nervousness in his voice was clear and I knew very well that he was lying"

"So does that means that Sue wasn't with her dad this weekend she was with Jack, and more to the point how exactly did he know it wasn't Sue, if he was nowhere the lake, no wonder she got so dressed up and I bet that's why he fetched her home Friday and why it took so long, checking paperwork my eye" Lucy added "And I bet it was Jack she was messaging all day Friday, with her 'broken blackberry', those sneaky pair of devils" she concluded with a small grin on her face

"What about Friday night, when she disappeared for a while just before midnight, I bet Jack had told her he wanted to say happy birthday first and she snuck off for a late night texting session, and that whole 'you can't say happy birthday until the time I was born tradition'. I cannot believe we fell for that one Luce"

"I know, and I bet she had planned to meet Jack yesterday morning on her walk with Levi and that is why she looked so disappointed when I told her you had taken him. OOH Miss Thomas and Mr Hudson have played this really well, sneakily meeting, disappearing off to lunches, secret night dates when they were supposed to be at hockey games or deaf events"

"So why are they hiding their relationship? Do we think its part of an undercover op to see if the dating rule could be lifted, are they dating in secret because of the rules or do we think they wanted to keep it from us" Tara asked the need for an answer as to why they were being lied to

"Why would they hide it, they both know we have been trying to get them together for ages, heck Lucy even tried to hook them up when Sue nearly passed out last week when Jack went to get the sandwiches, oh hang on I bet she faked that spell to meet with Jack. I think it's because of the rule on no dating" Bobby said

"But surely now they are engaged things within the team will have to change" Myles added

"Well then let's hope it is part of an undercover and that it all means we can stay together" Bobby added

"So they have been dating in secret?" Lucy asked "Secret" she gasped

"Lucy! Are you ok?" Myles asked when he saw the look in her eyes

"I'm fine, but I've just cracked it"

"Um cracked what Luce?" Tara asked

"The photo's from Pollack, you know the ones of James and Sharon he sent to Jack with the words 'I know your secret' written on the back, that's why he sent them to Jack to show that he knew about his and Sue's secret relationship, after all James and Sharon were according to him Jack and Sue"

"You're right Luce! That was the one piece of evidence that never added up. Why didn't we see it when the puzzle was figured out" Myles added

"Sue that's why, if you recall it was her that figured that whole case out, It was her notes that helped us figure it out and she left out that important piece of information from her little diagram on the white board" Bobby added

"Knowing full well we would work out she and Jack were together, nicely played Miss Thomas, nicely played" Myles added

"So, what are we going to do with this information? Are we going to let on we know?"

Shaking their heads both Tara and Bobby said "No I think we need to have some fun first, let's see who cracks"

Lucy laughed in agreement "Good thinking, let the games begin"

And there in the bullpen four members of an FBI team plotted a scheme to see which one of their friends would be the first to crack but also smiling inwardly at the fact that they were together...


	28. Chapter 28

Jack and Sue also woke up around 6am, somewhat disappointed that it was time to leave their little world and head back to reality, not wanting to move from their position quite yet they lay in each other's arms but by 7am they were sat in his kitchen, Sue on his lap, Levi at their feet

"Can't we throw a sicky?" Jack asked with his best puppy dog eyes as he and Sue ate muffins for breakfast

"No, baby we can't, I don't think Ted will appreciate it besides it would look kind of suspicious if both you and I were sick"

"Good thinking, so getting to work how is that going to work? And what about your ring?"

"Well I'm not walking! So you can drop me off and I'll go in first then you can come in a few minutes later after all you're normally the last to arrive anyway and my ring I think 'Sparky bear' can mind it until we tell the team"

"Sparky bear, why is he called Sparky bear?"

"Because I love him almost as much as I love you" she replied kissing him firmly on his lips

"I love you too baby, more than life itself"

With that the couple got up from the kitchen table, headed for a joint shower, got dressed and were heading out of the door, Levi in tow, trying to figure out a way to tell the team that they had been lying to them for seven weeks but also secretly hoping that the fact they were engaged would make up for it...

"So baby how exactly are we going to tell them? Providing they haven't already figured it out thanks to the observational skills of Crash and Tara" Jack asked squeezing Sue's hand

"I think we should just let it happen, lets she what they know before we tell them, maybe we can have some fun with them along the way" she replied with a wink

"Oh I really love the way you think" Jack added as they pulled into the parking garage, leaning over he gave Sue a slow passionate kiss "So beautiful I'll see you in the office in a few minutes"

"That you will, I love you baby"

"Love you too gorgeous and I love you too buddy" he said as he rubbed Levi between the ears

Sue left the car and headed towards the elevator, a short ride later she walked through the bullpen

"SUE!" Lucy yelled running towards her, hugging her secretly hoping she could feel the shape of the ring on a chain "I've missed you"

"We've missed you too Luce, Morning everyone, did you all enjoy your weekends?"

"Yes thank you" they all answered in signs and words

"What about you Sue? Did you enjoy the evening with Ja I mean your dad?" Bobby asked with a slight grin

"My weekend was great thank you Bobby"

"So where did Ja – I mean you and your dad go for your birthday meal?" Myles asked with a grin

"We went to Java's Saturday night, then yesterday we enjoyed a catch up and a few spa treatments it was a heavenly day, really relaxing, a bit strange though, being without..."

"Your dad?" Tara added smiling

"No my mother" Sue added looking confused

As she finished, Jack entered the bullpen, smiling the second he laid eyes on his fiancée

"Morning everyone"

"Well if it isn't Mr Midnight stroll" Bobby said teasingly

"Crash, why are you talking in riddles again?"

"No riddles, just trying to solve the puzzle"

"What puzzle" Sue asked, cursing herself for asking

"Oh it's a piece of a puzzle from a little game I like to call 'who was at the lake midnight Saturday night', that's all, you see I'm convinced I saw Mr Hudson and a blonde woman with a dog"

Sue trying her hardest to sound neutral, while swallowing hard said "Maybe it was some woman he picked up in a bar"

"No I don't think so" Tara added "I think it was someone sitting much closer than that"

"Well, here's the answer" Jack added the whole team smiling knowing he was going to confess "It wasn't me; I was at a hockey game and dinner"

The whole team sighed this was going to be harder than they thought, time for plan B

"So Sue, now that you are back I can tell you my news... I have arranged a double date for us tomorrow night with Harvey and Kyle from the deaf club, you are free aren't you?" Lucy asked, hoping that this would cause Jack to intervene

"I don't know Luce, I'll have to check my diary I may have plans"

"Oh come on Sue it's not like your getting married or involved with someone unless there is something you are not telling me, is there something you want to tell me?" Lucy asked trying to get Sue to confess

"No nothing Luce you know all my secrets, now if you don't mind I have paperwork for the Pollack case to finish before his trial in a few hours"

"Speaking of the Pollack case" Myles added "Has anyone figured out the clue with the photographs yet? And what the whole 'I know Jack's I mean your secret" he added looking between Jack and Sue

"I have no secrets" Jack added "So maybe it was more to do with James than me"

"But you are James, so maybe you were having a secret relationship with Soooo I mean Sharon" Bobby added

"I've never even met Sharon, Crash, so that couldn't have been right"

Bobby seeing the nervous look in Sue's eyes knew exactly how to trip the pair up it was time for plan C, and with that he walked over to Sue's desk and sat on the edge, as a nervous looking Jack watched on from the edge of his own

"By the way Sue, that was a very nice deep green dress you had on Saturday night when I saw you"

Sue not thinking as she was trying not to give up their secret blurted her answer out "Thanks Bobby, my dad liked it too"

Both hers and Jack's eyes widened as she slipped up and the team looked at each other in triumph they had gotten a small confession "I mean, um how did you know I had a deep green dress on"

"Oh Miss Thomas I think you and I both know the answer to that question don't we JACK" Bobby pointed out

Jack and Sue looked at each other and knew they had been rumbled, the game was up and it was time to come clean to their friends

"What's the matter Sue? Jack? Cat got your tongues?" Myles asked leaning over her desk

"OK we give up, you want to know the truth we'll tell you the truth"

"Crash did see something Saturday night... he saw me and my great apartment from where he was stood" He added laughing, which in turn caused the team to grunt in frustration

"Ah so you admit it you were home Saturday night" Myles added

Jack realising what he said, "Um no, I mean yes I was home at midnight the dinner was over by then"

"UM I expect it was and with it being such a romantic night decided to take a walk" Lucy added

"No, No walk just home to bed"

"OOO Sparky I think bed came after a walk with a blonde and her dog who is sitting not far from here" Bobby teased

"Well considering I am the only blonde here with a dog I have to say that I was not the blonde who was standing with Jack on the lake at midnight"

The team not catching on, decided they had nothing left to tease the couple with so went back to their desks pretending to be angry with the couple

Lucy one of the last to leave just said "Fine don't tell us what happened, whatever happened to our pact of true friends and complete honesty, maybe you forgot about it, I just thought being your best friend you would have had the decency to tell me that something wonderful was happening in your life. I guess we are not all as close as I thought we were"

With that she too left in a mood and went back to her desk, leaving Jack and Sue feeling guilty they had lied to them; little did they know this was all part of plan D.

"Luce" Sue said trying to call her back

Lucy completely ignored Sue, which caused her to get up from her desk and make her way to the bathroom, slightly upset that Lucy was mad at her for lying to her, she never wanted to lie to her but she and Jack had a lot to discuss in the early days of their relationship and she needed to figure it all out by herself.

Jack, noticing how upset she was, made an excuse to go and get some papers from Ted and left the office leaving the team smiling and convinced that this was enough for them to confess everything when they got back.

After a few minutes of searching Jack found Sue crying in a conference room, walking up to stand in front of her he pulled her into a hug

"She hates me Jack; she is so upset that I've been lying to her"

Loosening his grip slightly so she could see his face he said "Baby she doesn't hate you; I bet this is all part of their plan to get us to confess, so how about wiping away those tears from that beautiful face and we go and put them out of their misery, I think we should if it is making you this upset"

"Ok, but can you just hold me for a second"

"Of course, come here" he replied pulling her into him, he held on to her placing small kisses to the top of her head, Sue curled her arms around Jack she held on for dear life, still somewhat convinced that her best friend hated her, loosening her grip she looked at him

"OK I'm ready let's go"

Giving her a small kiss of encouragement he looked at her again and said "No matter what happens and how the team reacts just remember one thing I love you more than life itself, we'll get through this together and nothing is going to change that"

"I know baby I love you too and even though this whole deceit has made the team mad at us it has soo been worthwhile" she added with a wink and a 100watt smile that Jack loved so much


	29. Chapter 29

**Oh well guys we've reached that point again we are at the end of the story xx it truly has been a blast xx enjoy xx **

**Time for confessions I think poor Jack & Sue have suffered enough**

Together they walked back into the bullpen, Lucy noticing that she had made Sue cry wanted to run up and apologise to her with a hug but didn't, she was convinced the secret was coming out any second

"UM Guys I think there is something we need to discuss and talk about, but please let us finish before you react or say anything" Sue said getting the teams attention

They all gathered around Jack's desk where he and Sue were now sat

"We're listening" Myles said in his usual quick witted way

"Ok here goes,I guess you are all wondering what happened this weekend and why Bobby is convinced he saw us on the lake, well it's because he did, Sue and I are dating and have been for the past seven weeks"

"I think we should start at the beginning" Sue began

"That's probably a good idea" Myles added, resulting in the team glaring at him to let them finish

"It all started when Ted called us into the office, he informed us that the dating rule had been cancelled and since Jack and I seemed to have chemistry we could date if we wanted too, so we went out on our usual Monday night dinner and had a long talk"

"I asked Sue if she wanted to take our relationship to the next level. I told her that I had always been attracted to her and if she wanted to I would like us to see if anything could happen between us"

"I of course said yes and so we began dating... Every-time you guys thought we were at hockey games, deaf events, going to meetings for cases, having lunch with friends, going for sandwiches, buying coffee, anytime we were out of the house or office, we were together taking advantage of being able to spend time together romantically and as a couple"

"Ted agreed to keep the fact that the no dating policy was cancelled. We wanted to keep the whole dating thing a secret for a while, we had all intention of telling you guys today but you had to play dirty so we stalled. However when Lucy said what she said to Sue she got upset and I found her crying in the conference room and we knew it was time to confess"

"So that's its Jack and I are together and in love"

The whole team tried to look angry at being lied to but when they saw Jack slip his arm around Sue, as he saw the worried look in her eyes, their faces lifted and they all smiled as they run to the couple hugging and congratulating them

"Sue I'm sorry I upset you, please forgive me it was just my way of getting you to spill"

"It's Ok Luce, I realise now that's all you were doing" she replied standing to give her friend a hug

Jack and Sue looked at each other

"You guys are not angry with us then?" Sue asked

"Are you kidding we couldn't be happier, but there is still one piece of this whole puzzle to solve" Tara said

"Yes we want details about this weekend and what you got up to" Lucy added "I presume that you weren't with your dad and you were not at a hockey game and dinner" she added pointing at each of them

"You are right Luce; we were together I took this beautiful woman out for the night to spoil her rotten on her birthday." Jack replied placing his arms around Sue waist, but still giving her enough room to see what he said

"He certainly did. He bought me a beautiful charm bracelet which he gave me in his apartment and when we got to the Limo there was huge teddy bear with a hear that says 'Happy Birthday, I love you', a bouquet of fire and Ice roses"

"A limo" Myles added "And where did this Limo take you?"

"Marcela's" Jack added

"Marcela's blinking heck Sparky, did you win the lotto or something?"

"Not in the traditional sense Crash, but I certainly hit the jackpot" he said with a wink to Sue

The team just smiled at his last comment as Sue continued

"The restaurant was beautiful, beautiful setting, beautiful food. Once we finished our food Jack told me to watch the band so I did and he had them dedicate a song to me, we danced together as the music played and Jack mouthed the words."

"Oh our Sparky is such a romantic, what song was it?" Lucy asked

"More than life itself" Jack added

"AWWWW" Lucy and Tara added together

"Once the song was finished we danced a bit longer before heading back to limo after a few more minutes driving we arrived at a small airstrip" Sue continued

"Why?" Bobby asked

"Because, I asked Sue a few weeks ago if she could have any wish what would it be and she said to take a helicopter around DC at night, so I arranged for a friend of mine to take us up"

"Luce, Tara you should DC at night its stunning, we took a thirty minute ride, before heading back to Jack's"

"And I knew the day of Pollack's takedown that I was going to propose, so suggested a moonlit walk around the lake"

"That's what you were on about when we were coming back from the raid and you were talking in riddles" Bobby pointed out, which Jack just nodded in agreement

"We were stood on the bridge and I was just watching her looking at the lake and I knew it was perfect timing, so after a telling her about the day I knew I fell in love with her, I proposed in both words and signs"

"And I said yes, so we are not only dating we are getting married, so yes Crash it was Jack and I you saw on the bridge"

"As for the rest of the weekend that's for us to know and you lot to wonder about" Jack added with a wiggle of his eyebrows that caused a whack on the arm from Sue

The whole bull pen erupted in hugs, screams and congratulations as Sue confirmed they were getting married, resulting in the guys once again rubbing their ears at the noise

"I knew it, so that phone call was all lies; you and Sue were together when I called"

Jack nodded again "We've been together all weekend, Sue made us breakfast in bed yesterday, we ate Chinese food, snuggled on the sofa, walked Levi and watched movies..."

"Beaches in fact which Jack admitted and I quote 'was a good movie and quite sad'" Sue interrupted with a wink to Jack

"I never said that" Jack added

"You also said you were going to deny it if I ever told anyone you enjoyed it" Sue added as Jack hid his head in shame

"Aw poor Jack" Sue said mockingly while hugging him and placing a small kiss on his head that was on her shoulder

"What about Friday afternoon and night with the whole broken blackberry and tradition on your birthday?" Lucy asked

"I was messaging Jack, trying to convince him to tell me what he had planned, that is why I was late coming home, Jack gave me a lift and we were talking, he was trying to convince me not go to girls night but to sneak back to his apartment and shut out the world. As for the birthday tradition Jack wanted to be the first person to wish me happy birthday so I made up that excuse"

"And headed for the bedroom just before midnight because you knew he was going to call, no wonder you had such a grin on your face when you came back out and walked straight into me" Lucy added

Sue just nodded her head "We had also made plans to meet for breakfast"

"But Amanda and I spoilt that by taking Levi for his walk"

Sue nodded again

"So all this time we have been trying to set the two of you up, you were dating"

"Yes and thanks guys, those set-ups allowed us to spend more and more time together, we loved the fact that we could spend time as a couple without you lot getting suspicious. " Jack added "It also made the whole secret relationship that little bit easier to achieve"

"But we knew it had to come out especially after Bobby and Tara saw us on the lake" Sue added "and that is why, I told you to have a little faith, I knew that you two would also get your happy endings when this all came out" she concluded pointing at Tara and Lucy

"Actually it's already happened, Bobby and I also spent the weekend together" Tara added as Bobby kissed her temple

"Same here" Lucy added as Myles placed his arm around her waist and pulled her into him

"So the whole team is in love and with the person of their dreams" Sue said looking lovingly at Jack

The whole team nodded in agreement as Jack got her ring out of his pocket

"Now that this is all out I think Sparky Bear would like it if you had this back" he said as he placed her ring back in its rightful place, kissing her hand as he did

"I think so to baby" she said placing a small kiss to his cheek

Seeing the ring the team gathered around gushing at the diamond

"Lucy, Tara now that you know about me and Jack, we were wondering if you would be my bridesmaids"

Lucy and Tara looked at each other and together they said "YES! YES! YES!" and gave Sue and Jack huge bear hugs

"Um Bobby, I would love it if you would be my best-man and Myles I want you along with D to be an usher"

"I too would be honoured to have an important part in the wedding thank you Jack" Myles added shaking his hand.

"Of course Sparky it would be my pleasure, providing I can cop off with the short blonde haired bridesmaid" Bobby answered whispering the last part

Jack didn't answer Bobby question he just rolled his eyes and laughed as Sue made her way back to where she belonged at the side of Jack, his arm around her waist as she held on to it Jack asked

"So is there anything else you want to know"

"I have something to say it's not a question more of a request" Myles added

"What's that Myles" Sue asked

"Please can I attend the ceremony this time, I can do any date except for when I go out for tuna sandwiches"

Laughing at Myles comment the team left for lunch safe in the knowledge that even if life threw more puzzles and games at them they could solve them together so long as they remembered one important lesson from Lucy 'true friends have complete honesty'

**Thank you everyone for your support and reviews during the this Fan-fiction and I hope these last few chapters have been worth the wait xx **

**See you after my wedding to my very own Jack xx **


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